


The Iron Captain

by GeoffrytheButtler



Series: The Iron Captain [1]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Cheating, F/M, M/M, Multichapter, Sexual Tension, SteveTony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-27
Updated: 2013-12-15
Packaged: 2017-12-13 04:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 43,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/819916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeoffrytheButtler/pseuds/GeoffrytheButtler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve took his head away from Tony's metal hand, the cold no longer affecting his heated face. "You don't get it do you? I can't tell you what I need to tell you!" he yelled, becoming more and more frustrated with himself. He got up from his spot on the edge of the building and moved towards the door to the stairs. He wanted to clear his head, and Tony being there wasn't helping. Tony quickly got up and blocked his path. "Move out of my way Tony." Steve growled, glaring at the iron man. The brunette smiled and crossed his arms across his chest. "Make me."</p><p>And so, he did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 A few months had passed since the incident. New York City still has a long way to go until it would ever be close to being the same, but everyone is helping out. The Avengers have become very popular in the eyes of the citizens. The destruction of the city paid little heed to the saving of their lives.

Tony Stark has had to settle in a hotel for now, due to the destruction of Stark Towers. All the Avengers had joined him, they had become close, well, most of them...

 "Stark! Keep it down would you? I'm trying to read!" Steve Rogers yelled as he sat in his large hotel room, seated in a large arm chair. Tony had the unfortunate pleasure of being his next door neighbor. And that man loved his AC/DC. The music stayed at the same level, and Steve grunted in frustration.

 He got up from his comfortable position and walked out into the hall way. The corridor was empty, but the sound was much quieter. He banged on Tony's door, hoping he'd get the message. The brunette opened the door, his wet hair combed back. He was dressed in one of his fine silk robes, the front open. "Geeze Stark! Don't you have any decency?" Steve scrunched his face in disgust and put his hand up.

 Tony tied his robe closed, giving the blond a dirty look. "What's wrong Rogers? Can't keep up with the times?" He smirked at the other man, who responded with his own dirty look. "Just turn the music down would you?" He skulked off, leaving an amused Tony to himself.

 Tony walked into his large and comfortable room, with it's large circular couch in front of a fire place with a plasma screen hanging over it. He walked over to the surround sound stereo and paused. A smile crossed his face as he looked out at the view of the ocean, it was a truly gorgeous sight, he wished he could share it with someone. He turned down the stereo, which currently played  _Love Song_  by AC/DC.

 Any way that he could piss off Steve, he would do it. But he decided to let Capsicle have this one. Tony walked over to the large red couch, and lay back, thinking about the past few months.

 It just didn't seem real, the whole war of the worlds thing. It was... almost like a dream... But it wasn't. As much as everyone wished it was, it hadn't been, and it never would be. What happened happened, and nothing could change that. Tony shook his head and flipped on the plasma screen, trying to find something to watch. Anything to get his mind off now.

~*~

 Steve sighed as he poured himself a cup of coffee. He wasn't planning on sleeping tonight anyways. His mind has been restless lately, thinking of all the things he's missed, being frozen for seventy years. He laughed at a joke he had heard,  _Captain America is a ninety year old virgin_! He wished he could say he wasn't, but he didn't like to lie. He relaxed in his arm chair, picking up his favorite book,  _Flags of Our Fathers_. It reminded him of the good old days, of when everything still made sense.

 He wanted his old life back; he wanted to turn back time so that none of this had ever happened. He wanted to see his beloved Peggy, even just for a moment. But he couldn't. She was probably dead by now, as was Bucky. Steve knew he would have to move on, and let go of the past.

 "Get a hold of yourself Steve, you're being delusional." The man told himself. He laughed again.  _Great, now I'm talking to myself_. He sighed, and decided a nice soak would do him some good. The soldier flipped on his radio, a simple stereo, and tuned into a 50's station. Buddy Holly sang "Early in the Morning." It was just right.

 The bath had filled, and Steve stripped of his sweats and blue sweat shirt. He slipped in and sighed with relief. Yeah, this was exactly what he needed.

  _YOU'VE BEEN-THUNDER STRUUUUUUUUUUUCCCK_!

 "STAAAAARK!"


	2. Chapter 2

 “Heard you and Tony yelling last night, what the hell happened?” Clint asked, early the next morning. Steve looked up from his plate of eggs and French toast, only half eaten. “For your safety and mental health, it’s better if you don’t know.” the blond muttered, moving his eggs around on his plate. Clint decided not to push the topic, seeing the tired look in Steve's eyes. He simply sighed and took a bite of his chocolate doughnut, admiring the view.

 A few had gathered in Clint’s penthouse, which over looked the whole city. He and Tony had fought immensely over it, before they decided on a drinking game to settle their problems. It surprised everyone that the older man had lost, but everyone suspected that the usual drinker had thrown the game. Natasha joined Clint and Steve on the balcony, dressed in a flowing black nightgown. Her red hair suddenly shone in the sunlight, and the male assassin raised his hand in mock surprise. Natasha smirked at him, and kissed him good morning.

 “Eat your doughnut big guy.” she joked as she sat next to him. Clint smiled, and did as he was told. Steve looked at the couple with jealousy, a distant memory forcing its way into his current thoughts. He sipped his luke-warm coffee and grimaced. “Nothing worse than cold coffee. I’m going to get another cup, anyone want anything while I’m up?” he asked as he dumped his cup in a planter.

 Both shook their heads. Steve headed inside and walked into the earth-toned room, glad to get away from the couple. He was happy for them, but he was sick of being reminded of what he never had. The sound of jeans dragging against hardwood caused him to look over, and he saw an aggravated Tony standing by the coffee maker.

 “They're outta coffee.” The man mumbled, rubbing his tired eyes. He had stayed up late, working on one of his projects for Pepper to show off in whatever country she would be in. Steve clenched his fists, trying to keep calm. “Typical Tony.” he growled. The brunette swept a hand through his dark hair and turned around slowly. “Good morning to you too sunshine.” He smirked, but the soldier wasn’t in the mood for his jokes. He had more important things on his mind that he would rather try to ignore.

 He walked around the granite island and shoved purposefully into Tony, causing steaming black coffee to splash and burn his hand. “God dammit!” The brunette yelped, shaking his hand in pain as the coffee continued to burn him. “Funny thing for an atheist to say don’t you think?” Steve smiled, scooping Folgers into the coffee maker. Tony stared daggers into Steve’s back. “Dumb Christian.” he mumbled under his breath.

 “Drunk Atheist.” Steve replied, not hiding his dislike for the other man. Tony moved up to the blond's back, ready to turn him around and punch him. But just as he placed a hand on Steve's shoulder, someone came into the hotel room; interrupting the would-be fight.

 “Good morning ladies!” Bruce said as he entered the penthouse, a wide smile on his face, his clothes hanging loosely on his skinny frame. “You’re in a good mood, you get laid last night?” Tony joked. “Better. I just got invited to attend one of the most prestigious science conventions in New York City!" The scientist cheered, his smile growing wider with each word. "How is that better than getting laid?" The brunette asked, seemingly uninterested. "Shut up Tony." snapped Steve. He looked at Bruce and matched his enthusiasm. "That's great Bruce! I'm really happy for you! When is it?" He patted the man on the back, who stumbled from the sudden force of Steve's hand. He straightened himself quickly, trying to cover up his meek stature.

 "Next month. It says I can bring a guest, so... Anybody want to go with me?" Bruce grinned sheepishly, obviously embarrassed for having to ask. "Count me out." Tony grumbled as he popped two slices of bread in a toaster. The scientist looked to Steve, who pursed his lips in thought. "Why don't you ask around, I'd like to go, it'd be nice to get myself acquainted with some other technology, but if you can find someone better take them." Bruce nodded in agreement, and they all stood in silence.

 The sound of the toaster popping broke the awkward feeling, and Bruce went to spread the news to the others. Steve simply stared at the coffee maker, watching the hot black liquid drip into the pot below. "So, why don't you wanna go Tony? I thought you were into all that science stuff?" Steve asked, his blue eyes still locked on the coffee maker. 

 Tony stared out into the room and sipped his coffee. The burning sensation had gone, and a dark stain was visible against his light skin. "I dunno. If Bruce can't get anybody, I'd be glad to go. But I don't like just being handed things." He smiled, thinking about the great days he had spent with Bruce in the lab. The guy truly was a genius, and often helped him out when Pepper was off at meetings. She'd been gone more often than usual, and he missed her... _Liar_.

 Tony became lost in his thoughts, simply staring at nothing. Steve looked up and chuckled. That man amazed, and annoyed him. Something in him stirred, something he hadn't felt since... He shook the thought of her from his mind. No reason to get upset about her now. He grabbed Tony's toast and put it on a plate, feeling nice. He sighed, and cast one last look at the man, before shaking his head in amusement and walking out to the balcony.

 Tony snapped out of his daydream to see he was now alone in the kitchen, and his slices of toast had been put out. He decided not to question it, and simply pulled out the butter from the refrigerator. It's going to be a long day. Tony thought, and made his way out to the balcony, leaving the bright sun to melt the butter on the counter.

~*~

 "Bartender! Another round please!" Tony called across the room, his words slurring. Clint, Bruce, Tony, and Steve had gathered at their regular bar, The Silver Celtics. The bar played good music, and wasn't filled with loud and rowdy teens. It was a good place for drinking games, such as tonight.

 Bruce passed on the drinks, wanting to be sure he was in full control of himself at all times. He sipped lightly on his iced tea, laughing at Clint, who looked on the verge of passing out. His eyes were blood shot, probably from having downed five shots and chasing it with vodka. Tony of course was still fine, having built up an unhealthy tolerance to the drink. Steve turned down the alcohol. He wasn't too keen on drinking, even if it didn't affect him.

  _This'll be hilarious to watch in the morning_. Thought Steve, a smile spreading across his handsome face. Clint looked in disdain at Tony, a pitiful look in his eyes. "No, n-no more." the assassin mumbled. Bruce took one last gulp of his iced tea, and placed a five on the table. "I think it's time to get him home. You guys wanna catch a cab or should I come back for you two?" Tony dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

 "Nah, I'll call us a cab. You look like you need a good night's sleep. We won't be out much later." The brunette told him as the bartender came over with a round of shots. "Get gone. We'll be in before four." Bruce laughed and helped Clint out of his chair. He stumbled blindly, bumping into the table and causing the drinks to shake. "Oh, before I forget. Give me your keys." He was obviously referring to Tony, but his pockets were empty. Clint had begun walking towards the door, but spun on his heels to wave goodbye.

 "Night guys!" The assassin yelled. The two men waved to him, watching as Bruce quickly ran to catch the almost falling Clint. As soon as they were out of the bar, Tony turned to Steve, a fun thought on his mind. "What do ya say Capsicle? Feeling dangerous?" Tony smiled, his teeth shining in the dim light. Steve would normally have turned him down. He normally would've called Tony an idiot. But tonight, he was up for it.

 "Alight Stark, you're on."  _This'll be too easy._  They each took a shot, and the game was ready to begin. "Count of three. One, two, three!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! So, I'm still new to this thing and I have no idea what this is gonna do to the chapter but whatever. I hope you're all enjoying the story so far, again no idea how many of you are reading this but I already got 4 kudos... yay me. Alright, anyways, I already have the whole story completed on another site, but because I'm a jerkbutt I'm going to take my sweet time uploading on here. But really, I will try to update. Anyways, that's enough from me, I hope you all stick around!


	3. Chapter 3

 Tony woke up from his horrific dream with a start. It was another nightmare of New York; another nightmare that he would only vaguely remember. He was in his large bedroom, the curtains closed, but still allowing some sunlight. He got up and realized he was still in yesterday's clothing.

 The man sniffed himself, and immediately was overtaken with the smell of strong alcohol.  _Better take a shower._  He stripped of his clothing, and jumped in the large tub. Turning on the shower, he let the pulsating water flow hit his body, a nice way to wake up and face the long day ahead of him.

 He finished up and grabbed a towel wrapping it around his lower body. Walking into the kitchen, he found a note, and picked it up. It read:

_Stark-_

_Brought you home, pretty difficult getting you all the way there. Ended up passing out in your room because you fell asleep on top of me. Explain everything later._

_-Rogers_

_P. S, Pepper called, she got hung up with her meeting, gonna have to be there a while longer_.

 Tony crumpled up the paper and tossed it in the garbage. He'd have to call Pepper later, let her know he misses her. But for now, he had something else on his mind. The brunette poured himself a cup of coffee and headed out to his balcony. He tried to think of what exactly had gone down last night.

_Flash back- Last night- The Silver Celtics_

 "Alright Stark, last one, then we gotta head out." Steve said as he observed the nearly empty bar. Only Tony and him remained, besides a bar tender and a bus boy. The two sat across from each other, their eyes bloodshot from all the drinking. They each had one last shot, but neither thought Tony could handle it. "Alright. You ready Steve?" The man slurred as he lifted the shot with a shaky hand.

 He counted them off. "One, two, three!" They downed the shots, and Tony fell out of his chair.

 _End flash back_.

 Tony rubbed his temple with his free hand, the noise of the city construction not helping his severe hangover. He went back inside, slowly sipping his coffee as he tried to remember any more of the night. Nothing came to him. He'd have to talk to Steve after breakfast. But first, he ran into the bathroom and puked his brains out. Never again, never! "God damn super soldier." the brunette growled under his breath, wiping his mouth with a wet towel. What had he been thinking anyways? Why was it so important to prove himself to the other man?

 After his little episode, Tony went to the medicine cabinet to get some aspirin, and heard a knock at the door. He grabbed the whole bottle and stepped out of the bathroom, attempting to open the bottle with one hand. By the time he reached the door, the bottle remained closed, and some coffee had spilled onto the carpet. He put the item in his mouth and opened the door.

 A half-naked Steve stood there looking at him, his eyes serious as always. He looked as if he had just rolled out of bed; his hair was still not brushed out, and the fact that he was dressed in sweats with no shirt, well that furthered his suspicion. The brunette motioned for him to come in, and the blond accepted. He took the bottle from Tony's mouth, still not saying a word. He examined the bottle and sat on the couch, his jeans making a noise as they slid across the soft fabric.

 Steve opened the bottle, taking two pills for himself, and as Tony sat next to him, handed the open bottle over. "Thanks." he muttered, pouring out two pills into his hand. He downed them with a sip of his coffee, and then turned to Steve. "Alright, so what the hell happened last night?"

 Steve looked at him, a boyish grin on his face, making his eyes crinkle up. Tony couldn't help but smile back. "Well, what do you already know?" The blond asked. Tony quickly told him the memories he had of last night, and the soldier laughed. "Aw Stark, you missed all the best parts."

_Flashback- Last night- Hotel_

 "Come on Stark, almost to your room." Steve said as he lifted an incapacitated Tony into the long corridor. The drunk man hung onto the blond's large shoulders, and tried his best to walk straight, but that bump to his head only made his condition worse.

 They finally made it to Tony's room, and Steve reached into the other man's pant pockets, looking for the room key. The brunette pushed off Steve in protest. "The hell are you doing Cap?" he asked angrily. "Listen; just give me your keys so we can get you to bed." The soldier ordered, not in the mood for Tony's petty games.

 Tony crossed his arms over his chest. "Make me." Steve accepted the challenge, annoyed and wanting to get some long awaited sleep. He pinned the brunette up against the wall with his body, and covered Tony's mouth with his hand to keep the man from yelling. He bit down, but Steve refused to remove his hand until he found the key. He did, and but his hand stayed on the other man's mouth, just in case he decided to be a smart-ass and scream rape.

 Steve pushed himself off of Tony, and quickly laid him back on his shoulder. The brunette remained on Steve's shoulder, his head comfortable in the crevice of his neck. The blond moved over to the door and placed the key in. The door opened, and they slowly made their way to the bedroom.

 He didn't bother to turn on the light, considering it better for both of them to leave it off. Steve finally reached the bed, but as he was about to toss Tony onto it, the brunette wrapped his arms around the blond and fell on him. The bed creaked under their combined weight, and it was too comfortable for Steve to even try and get up. Tony's breathing slowed, and the blond could tell he was asleep.

He looked at the ceiling, sighed, and before he knew what had happened, he was asleep.

 _End flashback_.

 Tony laughed out of his own embarrassment, rubbing his eyes. "You didn't try to stop me did you Cap?" Steve looked out across the room, and smiled. "Hey, I figured it'd teach you a lesson. You should know never to get into a drinking competition with a super soldier." The brunette stretched, careful not to spill any more of his coffee. "I need to get working on my projects. Pepper needs them by the end of this week." He got up, but the sudden movement mixed with a hangover caused him to fall back down.

 Steve laughed at him as he got up to help Tony up. He scowled at the helpful hand. "I can get up myself Cap." He attempted to get up again, but once again failed. Steve rolled his eyes and grabbed the man's arm, gently. "Easy Cap, we're not all indestructible." Tony joked, his voice low. He looked up to see the blond with a strange look on his face. It was something he didn't recognize...

 Was it, happiness?

 "The hell's up with you Capsicle?" Tony asked as he pulled his arm away from the other man. Steve realized he had been holding on to Tony's arm and looked away, trying to hide the blush that now threatened to ravage his face. "Nothing. Um, Fury said he wanted us to head over to meet with him, he's got something to talk about with us I guess." the blond mumbled, still not meeting Tony's eyes.

 The brunette groaned, and headed back into his room to get dressed. Steve just stood there, trying to get the embarrassing blush off his face. He sighed, and figured it'd be best to go to his room and at least put on a shirt before they headed to the meeting. He looked back once more over his shoulder, but saw only a closed bedroom door. He bit his lip slightly, and headed back into his room.

~*~

 "Why the hell are we meeting Fury here?" Tony asked as he walked out to the open area. The place resembled a park, with couples with their children, some musicians, and the usual homeless person begging for change. The brunette scowled, and Steve nudged him with his elbow. "Wipe that look off your face. Show a little respect would you?" The blond growled.

 Tony shot him a dirty look, and ignored his comment. "Jeez, where the hell are they all?" He was tired, and he simply wanted to go home and hole himself up in his lab.

 "Over here!"

 Steve and Tony turned around to see Natasha and Clint hand in hand, with Bruce trailing behind them, munching on some sort of street food. The two moved towards them, happy to finally see some familiar faces. "Fury said he'll be here any second. Knowing that man, he'll probably be coming in on a-" Natasha began before Bruce cut her off. "Helicopter?" They all turned to see the young man staring straight at them.

 "Man Bruce, those gamma rays give you mind reading powers too?" Clint laughed, but the scientist shook his head. "Check it out." The four looked to where he was pointing, and noticed a large helicopter coming down in the middle of the park. "Of course, Fury just has to make an entrance." Natasha muttered, smiling to herself.

 They walked over to the landing helicopter, pushing past the crowd that had now gathered. Director Fury hopped off to greet them, a serious look on his face. "Avengers! How are you all?" he asked politely. "We're all fine, but I think I can ask for everyone when we wonder why you’re visiting us in the middle of a park, on a helicopter." Clint yelled over the sound of the blades cutting through the air.

 "I'll explain everything in a second, but for now, I need to get something to eat." Fury answered, and he walked towards a hot dog vendor, leaving the five with confused looks on all their faces. One by one, they sighed and followed after him, Tony and Steve being the last two to walk away from the large helicopter. The brunette couldn't help but notice how fine Steve's butt looked in the jeans he was wearing.

 "Stark, hurry up would you?" Steve called out to him, and Tony snapped out of his little fantasy. "Don't tell me what to do Cap!" He yelled back, and his arrogant attitude replaced his recent, dreamy one.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Dances because of the painful angst in this chapter*

"Guys, Thor's here!" Bruce yelled as he ran into the pent house. None of them locked their doors, seeing it as useless. They all were always going from room to room, enjoying each other’s company. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look up at the excited Bruce. "Are you serious?" Clint asked. "Yeah! I saw the storm heading in on the sensor! He's really coming guys! We gotta celebrate!" the scientist exclaimed.

 Everyone smiled at each other, knowing exactly how much Bruce and Thor had connected. Tony walked out from the bathroom, adjusting his belt buckle. "What's going on?" he asked, looking around at everyone's amused faces. "Thor's coming to town." explained Clint, getting up from his bar stool to grab himself  a refill on his drink. Tony groaned, obviously not excited for "Blondie's" arrival.

 "I thought something was up." he grumbled, going to the mini bar. "I don't get why everyone is so excited, it's not like it's not like we haven't seen him in years." Tony grabbed a bottle of brandy, and Steve quickly grabbed it, giving him a serious look. "You don't need a drink Stark." The brunette matched his facial expression, obviously not amused.

 The room fell silent, watching to see what would conspire. Silence passed for about a minute, before a loud thunder broke in. Everyone but Tony and Steve looked up, and Bruce gasped. He ran out the sliding glass door, onto the patio.

 Clint and Natasha followed him, seeing the dark, ominous cloud roll over New York. A lighting bolt struck down, and the smile on Bruce's face only grew wider. "C'mon! We gotta go meet him!" He pulled out his tracker, the small blinking light showing the exact location of the god.

 "You guys go ahead. I need to keep an eye on this guy." Steve told the gang, cocking his head towards the brunette. Tony stole the bottle right out of the blond's hand, and took a swig. "Don't have to tell me twice!" Bruce practically skipped out of the room, and Natasha took Clint's hand as they followed after him.

 Steve turned to Tony, the smug bastard giving him a smirk. "You know, you really shouldn't drink as much as you do. It's not good for your health." The soldier grumbled as he turned away and began to clean up the mess. Tony snorted. "It's my life, and I honestly don't think you can run around trying to tell me what to do." he growled, but screwed the cap back on the bottle. "I always thought you wanted to be different from your father?" Steve snapped, not turning around. Tony blinked, and his mouth hung open. He didn't know what to say, he was too stunned to really say anything... He didn't know Steve was capable of saying something as cruel as that.

 "Know what? You guys go have fun. I'll be back at Stark Towers." Tony growled, slamming the bottle down on the counter near Steve's hand, and storming off. The soldier knew he would need to apologize for that little remark, but he wasn't going to be doing it now. He pushed down his guilt, and returned the bottle to its rightful place, and followed out after the others.

~*~

  _I thought you wanted to be different from your father..._  The words repeated over and over in Tony's head, and his anger only worsened. He tightened a bolt on the large machine he was working on, making a little too tight and hearing the piece break. "Son of a bitch!" he yelled, and threw the tool across the lab, barely missing one of his more important projects. He held his breath as the tool bounced on the floor, cracking into pieces and scattering. He exhaled, and kicked the machine he had been previously working on. It was something for Pepper, it would help in the process of making car engines, make it a cleaner process. But at the moment, he could care less.

 He looked around his lab, at all the objects he had created, all the things that bore his mark.  _I am not my father._  He thought to himself, but even in his head the voice was not as strong as he had wished it to be.  _I am not my father._  He repeated, and again, the same result. "I am not my father!" he yelled aloud, and looking up, he saw his reflection, along with someone else's. "What are you doing here?" Tony growled, turning around to glare at the super-soldier.

 "Natasha wasn't feeling well, so I offered to drive her back to the hotel. I figured I should stop by, make sure you were okay." Steve said as he stepped into the lab, his usually cold stare replaced by one of worry and a bit of guilt. "I'm fine. Get out." Tony said angrily, not taking his eyes off the other man. "I think I should apologize first. What I said earlier, it was way out of line," Steve said gently, walking slowly towards the brunette, whose expression only hardened. "Yeah. It was. Now get out. I don't need your stupid apology." The man said through clenched teeth, anger rising with each step that the soldier took.

 Steve stopped dead in his tracks, his own anger beginning to rise. "I'm trying to apologize here Stark." The blond said coldly, his expression setting to its usual state when he was in the presence of the other man. "I told you already, I don't need your pity, so why don't you just get out of my god damned lab!" Tony's rise in tone at the end of his sentence made it an order rather than a question. "Fine. I will. Bye Stark." Steve snapped, and turned on his heel as he skulked out of the room. But just before he left, he stopped, and looked over his shoulder. "You're right Stark, you're not your father. Howard would at least consider accepting an apology." And with that, he was gone. Tony watched him go, his breathing heavy and chest tight. "You know nothing about my father." he whispered, swallowing a hard lump in his throat. "You know nothing about me."

~*~

 "Hey Steve, everything okay?" Bruce asked as he stepped out of his room and into the corridor, almost bumping into an extremely upset Steve. "Here are your tickets back, thanks for the offer, but I think you and Tony should go. He'd have much more fun without me." The soldier said as politely as he could, placing the tickets in his friend's hand.

 Bruce looked at him a bit stunned. "What exactly happened?" he asked, looking up at the blond with concern. "Let's just say I got to know Tony a little better, and I now know there's a reason we don't get along. Have a good night Bruce." Steve smiled politely, forcing it, and Bruce could tell. But he let it go. "Night Steve," he muttered, and watched the man go to the elevators, no doubt on his way to his room for another sleepless night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is gonna be a fight chapter, between Steve and Tony of course. It's necessary, It's the Avengers after all. And maybe it'll appeal to the more, "Actiony readers".... Ah well.

 Tony looked at his watch and smiled.  _Time for Mr. Sunshine's wake up call._  He walked over to his large stereo, popped in a Black Sabbath CD, and turned the volume on high. Ozzy's voice vibrated the whole room, and a loud yell emanated from the room next to his.

 "Good, he's up." laughed Tony, and he turned down  _Paranoid_ to a moderate volume, but still loud enough to pass to the next room. It was a wonder that he never got complaints from the other neighbors.  _Oh wait, we have no neighbors._  The brunette walked into his large kitchen and started a pot of coffee, smiling at the bright day seeping in through the curtains. He had almost forgotten about yesterday, but he still wanted to let Steve know that he wouldn't get away with a stunt like that so easily.

 A loud banging caught Tony's attention, and he noticed the door vibrating with a force. He walked over and pulled it open to see a very angry Steve standing in his door, hair a mess, clothes that were carelessly thrown on, and eyes burning with anger. "Captain, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Tony teased. The blond said nothing, instead using his clenched hand to speak with Mr. Stark.

 Tony was caught off guard, and landed to the floor with a loud  _thump._ "Put on the suit, and meet me back at Stark Towers. Let's just see how tough you are without walls to separate us." Steve growled, and he slammed the door behind him, leaving an equally pissed Tony on the floor. "Alright, he wants a fight? I'll give him a fight." The man growled as he rubbed his jaw, glaring after the blond.

~*~

 "Steve, come on, don't do this." Clint tried to reason with Steve, who was currently destroying a sand bag. "Don't try and talk me out of this Clint. I've been waiting for this day for a while." The blond muttered between swings. One last jab, and the sand bag separated from the beam. Oh yeah, he was ready. Steve walked to the locker room, a worried Clint following him. "Come on Steve, Tony's a joker, you can't-" He was cut off, freezing under the blond's cold glare. "You can't keep making excuses for him. It's about time this guy stopped talking, and showed me what he's got."

 Without another word, Steve headed into the showers, wanting to be fully ready when he beat the shit out of Stark.  _What am I doing?_  He asked himself as he turned on the shower.  _Do I really want to fight this guy? He's more than proved himself, so why the hell do I want to fight him now?_  Steve shook the thought from his head. It was simply Clint's words put in his thoughts.

 Steve left the shower, threw on his jeans and tee, and hopped on his bike. He didn't mind riding in the cold weather. It didn't bother him. When he finally reached Stark towers, the concrete before it was still a bit broken. He looked up to see the A, which had now become their symbol, standing proud. He parked his bike on the sidewalk, and headed in.

~*~

 "Mr. Stark, may I please try and talk you out of this?" JARVIS pleaded with Tony, who was slipping on his helmet. "JARVIS, I'm not in the mood. Capsicle needs to be put back in his place, because he's apparently forgotten." Tony walked out of the suit room, and walked up to the test room, where a very tall Captain America stood before him, hood up, and shield polished.

 "You sure you don't want to back out of this?" Tony smirked beneath his helmet. "No talk, just fighting." Steve growled, and threw his shield towards Tony's head. The object just barely missed him, and scratched Tony's new suit.  _That's it._  The brunette turned on his rockets, and flew at Steve.

 Tony crashed into Steve and the large man went flying into the far wall. The blond tried to catch his breath, and Tony shot a blast in his direction. Steve missed it just in time, and ran for his shield, old war memories trudging their way up into his brain. He smiled, and grabbed his shield just in time to block another blast from the other man, which ricocheted off the shield, and back at the assailant. The small man flew back a few feet, the suit taking some damage. Tony tried to catch his balance, but Steve took the opportunity to make an offensive move.

 He ran at Tony, and punched the man square in the face. He yelped in surprise, and grabbed Steve's arm, throwing him over his shoulder and slamming him into the ground. Steve just lay there for a moment, trying to catch his breath. Tony floated over him, gloating. "Had enough yet Captain?" Steve's eyes flickered with mischief, and the blond flipped over, using the wall as a back spring, and dove at Tony, who allowed himself to be caught. The brunette flipped up his mask, and stared at the blond.

 Steve stood over him, a smile on his face. "You done yet?" Tony asked, an amused look on his handsome face. "Yup." Steve stuck out his hand to help up Tony, who accepted it gratefully. "Hey, what do you say we go out for some coffee? My treat." The blond offered, and the other man simply nodded. It was the best he could manage. Steve patted him on the back, and Tony winced in pain, but tried not to let it show.

 Steve laughed, and the two headed their separate ways to get ready. The soldier looked back at him, watching Tony's limp grow with each step he took towards the door.

~*~

 "What are you drawing Capsicle?"

 Steve looked up to see a curious Tony peeking over his coffee mug, extending his neck to get a better view. The blond quickly shut the journal, and placed it in his inner jacket pocket. "It's nothing." he muttered, and stared out the window at the lightly falling snow. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the brunette giving him a scowl.

 "You're too secretive." Tony complained. Steve focused his full attention on the brunette, his eyes narrowing. "Says the guy who sits in his lab all day!" he remarked, giving Tony a playful smile. Tony smiled back, and the knot was back. He tried to push it away, but it was too strong.

 "I got it!" Tony announced. Steve's face immediately twisted into a look of confusion. "Got what?"

 "We'll get you a woman!"

"What? What makes you think I need-"

 "Oh please Capsicle! You've been frozen in ice for seventy years!" Tony lowered his voice, to help protect Steve's identity, and keep the newly found fans from swarming them.

 "And that makes you think I need a woman?" Steve's voice rose in anger, and also, hurt. He didn't want a woman, he wanted someone to listen. A lump rose in his throat, one that made it hard to swallow down his hot coffee. "Rogers, come on. You need to put yourself out there! You can't stay a virgin forever!"

 With that, Steve immediately rose and stormed out of the cafe, his appetite ruined. Tony chased after him, throwing a fist full of money down on the table. "Wait, come on! You know I was joking right?" Tony called him as Steve got on his motorcycle. The brunette stepped in front of it, receiving a menacing glare from a certain Steve Rogers. "Out of the way Stark, I'm not in the mood for games." The blond growled, and revved the engine.

 Tony stayed where he was, meeting Steve's angry glare. Their eyes locked, and the lump was back in Steve's throat. Same with Tony's stomach knots. "Just, come out with me tonight. I'll get the guys together, we'll have some fun!" The smaller man pleaded.

 Steve looked away, contemplating the offer.  _I might as well. It'll get my mind off of things._  "Alright." he muttered. Tony smiled softly. "Great, we'll meet at Stark Towers to help you get ready." Tony said as he moved out of the way of the blond's bike. But Steve wasn't listening; he was gone before Tony could even finish his sentence; before he could say one more thing that could hurt him.

~*~

 "Well, what do you think?" Tony looked up to see a very handsome Steve Rogers in a navy blue suit, which complimented his cerulean blue eyes. Tony tried to keep his jaw shut, not wanting to embarrass himself. Steve's hair was swept back, his hair looking perfect as always. Tony felt a bit, how do you say, under-dressed, compared to the other man. Tony wore a simple black suit, and a red tie. It was Pepper's favorite tie on him.

 "Where are the others?" Steve asked, buttoning his jacket, trying to avoid any eye contact with the handsome man before him. Tony shifted uncomfortably. "They couldn't make it." he lied, not meeting Steve's eyes. Actually, he hadn't even asked any of the others. He wanted to have Steve to himself tonight, so they could have a talk _._ "Well, I'm ready when you are." the blond said as he patted down his suit, finally daring to look at Tony.

 "Oh, and another thing, I thought that maybe we could eat dinner in my apartment?" Tony offered. Steve gave him a suspicious look, wondering what he had planned. "I don't see why not." the blond muttered, and grabbed his wallet from the table. "Alright, let's go then." The smaller man quickly got up from his place on the couch and headed over to the door, wanting to get the night started as soon as possible.

~*~

 "Wow Stark, you really went all out!" Steve smiled as he looked at the wide array of food on the large dining room table. "You make this yourself?" he joked. Tony smiled, and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm an engineer, not a chef." he muttered uncomfortably. "Come on. Enough chit chat, I don't want this food to go to waste!" The pair sat down on opposite ends of the table, and toasted to their glasses of red wine.

 "A toast, to good friends!" Steve said raising his glass. Tony joined him, and sipped on the disgusting drink. He wasn't a wine person, and never will be. His face twisted into one of utter distaste, and he could hear the other man chuckle. "Tony, I have a bottle of Schnapps in my hotel room. Why don't I go get it?" Steve offered, jerking his thumb in the direction of the door. He knew Tony was just trying to be polite, but the soldier didn't like wine much either.

 Tony smiled at his plate, loaded with chicken, red potatoes, and green beans. "Yeah, I'll be waiting here." Tony mumbled as he pushed his food around on his plate. Steve got up quickly and fast walked out the door, eager to continue the dinner. Tony sighed as soon as the blond walked out the door, putting his hands behind his head and staring at the ceiling.

 _This is going to be tougher than I thought._ Tony rubbed his eyes, trying to figure out a way to put it plain and simple.  _I like you. But I know you don't like me, and I know this isn't right because I love Pepper and you still-_ Tony's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a closing door, and the dimming of the lights.

Steve walked over to the table, bottle in hand. "Figured it was a bit too bright in here." He smiled, and the light from the streets below gave his smile a white glow. Tony's stomach tightened, and he got up to grab the two wine glasses. "Here, let me dump these out." He picked up the glasses, his hand brushing against Steve's.

 A blush rushed up to Steve's face, and he looked away, desperately trying to keep his feelings hidden.  _Don't blow this Rogers. He's a good friend. That's all you guys will ever be. He has Pepper._ Steve sighed, and looked over to see Tony opening the schnapps, struggling to get the corkscrew out. The soldier chuckled and sat himself down, picking at his potatoes. Tony finally dislodged the cork, and poured the schnapps into two smaller glasses.

 "So, how are you today?" Steve began. Tony laughed. "You know Cap, Today started out pretty shitty. And now," Tony looked out the large windows, the sky becoming dark with night. "Now, it's better." he smiled, and Steve smiled with him. The atmosphere, the mood, everything was almost perfect. 

 Dinner went by smoothly, and the time passed by so quickly that by the time they finished eating, it was already nine o' clock. They had begun at six. An annoying buzz snapped the two out of their fantastic mood, and they looked to the counter to see Tony's phone buzzing across the counter. Tony sighed, and got up from his comfortable seat.

 "It's Pepper." Tony mumbled, biting his lip. He didn't really want to talk to her right now; he was having such a good time with Steve. He sighed, and ignored the call. Steve gave him a shocked look, but on the inside, his heart raced. _Wow, he ignored her call? Maybe I actually do have a-_ Steve shook his head and pushed the thought aside. _No, get that stupid fantasy out of your mind. Nothing you will ever do will change the way you are, unless you go and open your stupid mouth. Besides, you don't like men._

 "Hey, we still have to go out and find you a woman tonight don't we?" Tony smiled, only to cover up the fact that he knew the night would have to have ended soon enough. A smile fell away from Steve's face as he realized what Tony was hinting at. "Oh, right. Well, are you still feeling up for it? I don't want to keep you up late." Steve mumbled, gulping down the last few drops of his drink.

 Tony rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what to tell him. He didn't want to share Steve tonight. Tonight was  _their_ night! No, he made a promise to this man. "Yeah, let's go. I know just where to find all the best ladies." Tony winked, and grabbed a coat. "Come on Cap, time to find you a woman!"


	6. Chapter 6

 "What about her? She looks like a good looking woman." Tony nodded his head in the direction of a young red head, wearing a mini skirt and fishnet leggings. They had gone to a small bar, one a little out of the way than what they were used to. The Silver Celtics was more of a man's space than a place to pick up women, which is what brought them here. And needless to say, the selection was pretty slim; Steve gave the other man a serious look. "I want a woman, not a prostitute!" The soldier muttered under his breath, not impressed. "You know Stark, why don't we just leave? I don't think I'm-" he began, but he stopped short when a familiar face took the seat next to him.

 "Hi." the young waitress giggled, and Steve sat there dumb founded. She looked amazing in her slimming jeans and sparkly gold top, her hair pulled away from her face. "Say hi you dork." Tony mumbled as he elbowed the guy in the ribs. "Hello there." Steve said as smoothly as he could manage. "I think we've met before, I work at that cafe, you were drawing in your sketchbook?" she said, tucking a loose piece of hair behind her ear. "Oh, right! Right, um, my name's Steve." The man managed to choke out, He tugged nervously on his shirt collar, and he could hear Tony laugh behind him. It had been a while since the man had been out on the scene.

 "My name's Ashley. It's nice to finally talk to you." She smiled, and Steve smiled back. "I'll leave you two alone." Tony mumbled in the blond's ear, and he got up, leaving the two to mingle. The brunette sighed, and walked to a booth, figuring Steve would be able to fend for himself, which meant Tony could get as drunk as physically possible, and get rid of the impending jealousy.

 "I um, so what kind of movies do you like?" Ashley asked, So far, the conversation had been going well, the topics had been keeping away from more modern day topics, that is, until now. Steve ran a hand through his blond hair; trying to think of the most recent movie he had seen. "Um, I'm a real big fan of war movies. That new movie that's out, Argo? It seems really cool. I've been waiting to go see it but-" "But you haven't had anyone to go with you?" Ashley asked tilting her head. Steve was caught off guard.

 Was that a sign that she wanted him to ask her out? Or was he just assuming things? "Y-yeah. I um, my friends are usually all so busy." The soldier looked down at the drink, suddenly wishing he  _could_ get drunk, maybe it would save him from making this conversation any worse for himself. "Well, hey if you're ever looking for a movie partner, I'd be glad to go with you!" The girl smiled, and Steve just stared awkwardly. "Um, yeah. I'd like that." He managed to smile back, but he still wasn't sure about himself.

 "Alright!" Ashley's face brightened, and she grabbed a napkin and a pen from her purse. "Here's my number. Why don't you give me a call when you’re free?" she asked, sliding the napkin his way. He picked it up, grinning like a fool. "Sure. I definitely will." "What the hell Steve, I leave you for less than an hour and your talking to some blonde?" Tony's angry voice caused the two to turn around, Ashley confused, and Steve, he looked as if he had a mix of anger and embarrassment crossing his face.

 Tony stood before them, shirt un-tucked, tie loosened, and the strong smell of alcohol wafting off of him. "Excuse us, for a moment." Steve murmured to Ashley, who simply nodded as she watched the man get up. "Tony, I need to speak with you." he wore a serious look, but the brunette simply stared at him, looking bored. "What is it Capsicle? You lookin to go back to my place?" Tony's eyes flickered over to Ashley, who looked just about ready to die of embarrassment.

 "You want to join us blondie?" Tony raised his eyebrows, his old habits returning, and causing the girl to blush furiously and look away. "That's it, I'm taking you home." The soldier quickly turned around to apologize to Ashley, but she was gone. Steve sighed and picked up the napkin, shaking his head in upset.

 Steve looked back at Tony, who was just standing there, a triumphant look on his smug little face. The soldier wanted nothing more than to just punch him. "Come on Tony, time to get you out of here before you ruin anybody else’s good time." Steve growled, slightly tugging on the man's arm. Tony yanked his arm away, stumbling backwards. "Don't put your hands on my like I'm your property! I'm not your bitch." The man glared at Steve with hazy eyes, and he found it difficult to stay standing for too long.  _Maybe that fifth drink wasn't such a good idea._  Tony thought to himself as he watched the room spin before him, just barely able to keep his focus on the soldier in front of him.

 Steve was fuming. "That's it. I'm taking you home, one way, or another." Tony sat back down in the booth, and crossed his arms over his chest. "You wouldn't do it. You don't have the balls." he challenged, and the two remained, watching each other. Tony smiled, a snarky smile that made Steve want to kiss him, for some stupid reason. He leaned in, and the brunette felt his breathing stop. The soldier picked up Tony and slung him over his shoulder, causing both to lose their train of thoughts.

 Steve looked around once more for Ashley, but he didn't see her. He sighed heavily, and began to walk out of the bar with Tony pounding his fists into the man's back, trying to get the man to put him down. But his efforts were in vain. So, he decided to get a little revenge. Just as they were walking out, he grabbed a handful of Steve's ass, causing the man to yelp, and jolt his shoulder upwards, right into Tony's crotch. The man groaned in pain, hiding his face in the blond's back, and listening to the soft chuckle that erupted within him.

~*~

 "Alright, we're home, you can put me down now!" Tony complained. His hips were starting to hurt, as Steve had actually carried him all the way home. Even if it had only been a few blocks, that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell when the blond decided to take the stairs. But he couldn't totally complain. The ride home had given him a nice view.

 "Nope. Not until we get you in your own room." Steve said, his tone serious. Tony sighed, and waited as the soldier pulled out the extra room key, and opened the door. Steve walked over to the couch, and threw Tony onto it. He groaned with delight, happy to be on a soft surface. He looked out to the balcony window, the night lighting up only part of the room. Tony lifted his head to find Steve cleaning up the table, slamming plates, an angry look on his face.

 "Come on Capsicle, don't be so pissy. You got her number didn't you?" Tony grumbled, not taking his eyes off Steve. "Yeah, no thanks to you." Steve huffed, collecting the plates. He stared at the half melted candles, hoping that they would set aflame once again, and with them, the night would once again set back to the way it was, the way it was before they went to the bar, before Tony decided that getting drunk would be a good idea.

 Steve turned around to find a scowling Tony behind him, taking the plates from his hands, and murmuring something under his breath that the soldier couldn't quite catch. Regardless, Steve carried over the glasses and moved to where the other man was standing at the sink. Tony smiled, and began to do the dishes. Steve helped, and the two laughed at the unsaid joke.  _It seems like we're already married._

~*~

 "Up and at em boys! It's going on noon and Fury needs us to meet with him!" Natasha's voice filled the room, and Steve woke up with a start. He had slept on Tony's couch, wanting to make sure Tony didn't fall out of bed, or something worse. He rubbed his eyes, looking at the clock below the T.V, groaning. "Come on Natasha, five more minutes!" The soldier grumbled, flipping over onto his side. The female assassin smiled, and walked over to the closed curtain.

 "Rise and shine soldier!"

 The sudden sunlight caused Steve to go temporarily blind, as he tried to look for a dark corner of the couch. "What's all the noise- what the hell Romanoff?" Tony cried out with surprise as he walked into the living room, and the sudden sunlight caused him to cringe. "I got a hangover!" "You're fault, not mine!" Natasha replied in a singsong voice, and she left the room to go wake Clint.

 Tony and Steve groaned in unison, not happy to be getting up at such an early hour after a late night. Steve pushed himself off the couch, and walked to the coffee maker. "Ugh, you want a cup Stark?" he asked as he filled the pot. "When do I not?" Tony muttered, hiding behind the half wall that separated him from the burning sun, and the handsome soldier.

 He began crawling out slowly, and Steve chuckled as he watched the grown man crawl across the floor like a two year old. "You'll never cease to amuse me Stark." Tony peeped up from behind the couch, a scowl on his face. "Shut up and make the coffee. I'm going for some aspirin." he grumbled, continuing his journey to the bathroom. It was then that Steve noticed Stark wore nothing but a pair of boxers, and a blush crawled slowly up his face. He couldn't break his stare with Tony's butt; it was...

 His intense concentration was broken by the bathroom door slamming, leaving the soldier alone with his thoughts. Tony's retching caused Steve's blush to retreat, and he turned back to the coffee maker.

 "Steve! Get in here!" Tony cried out. "What is it?" Steve called back. "Just get in here!" The hung-over man retched again, causing Steve's stomach to churn. He never did do well with puke. "Alright, I'm coming." The soldier sighed as he began walking towards the door, preparing himself for the worst. As he reached the door, he breathed in, and out.  _Stay calm Steve, you can do this._

 He inhaled one last time, and opened the door. Steve cried out in fear as he say a naked Stark before him. The other man screamed with him, surprised by his sudden arrival. "The hell Cap? Don't you knock?" Tony practically screamed. "You told me to come in I didn't know you would be naked!" The two stared at each other, wide eyed. "Just, hand me that towel and get out!" The brunette ordered. Steve was quick to comply, and shut the door behind himself. Natasha walked in with Clint just in time to see the soldier walking away quickly from the door.

 She peered at him, noticing how red his face was. "Everything okay there Steve?" Steve looked up quickly, his expression returning to its serious state. "Y-yeah. Everything's fine. You two want some coffee?" The soldier asked. He looked serious, but his voice gave away his nervousness.

 "No thanks, we're going to head out. We'll meet you at HQ, Banner and Thor are coming along." Clint answered before Natasha could ask another question. Steve nodded, and grabbed the pot, pouring himself and Tony a cup. Clint smiled and began walking out the door, tugging lightly on Natasha's hand. She looked at him, and then back at Steve, her eyes full of curiosity, and assumptions.  _I'm going to find out what's going on here. I always do._

 Steve watched as the two walked out the door, and Tony entered the room, looking as if nothing had happened. "Enjoy the show Captain?" he asked nonchalantly, and the blond glared at him. "Next time, how bout a little warning that you like to do your puking naked." retorted Steve. Tony laughed, taking a cup of coffee off the counter.

 "Hurry up with that coffee. I don't know if you forgot, but we need to meet with Fury in less than an hour, and," Steve paused as he looked over Tony's undergarments. "I don't think you want to go looking like that." The brunette scowled, and sipped his coffee. "Like you're any better off. Is that my shirt?" he questioned, recognizing the large brown grease stain against the purple fabric. "Oh, yeah I-"

 "Give me my shirt!" Tony said as he placed his cup on the counter, diving towards the super soldier. Steve was caught off guard, and yelped as he was pushed against the counter, coffee spilling, and the shirt being ripped off his body.

 "Hey! Stop! What the hell are you doing Stark?" Steve cried out, trying to fight off the clingy man. "Hey guys did I-" The fight broke as the two looked over to see the stunned Natasha standing in the doorway, mouth gaping open. Steve's shirt was half off, exposing his abs, and Tony had him pressed up against the refrigerator.

 "I'll, just meet you guys there." Natasha said as she ran out the door, embarrassed and shocked at what she had just seen. She had only hoped it wasn't what she thought it was, but... Something told her that her suspicions were true. 


	7. Chapter 7

 Steve flicked on the lights to his room, looking around. The Avengers were gone, leaving him alone. They had all decided to go to Shwarma, grab a bite to eat. Steve sighed and tossed his keys on the table, closing the door and turning around to the large and empty room.

 He half expected everyone to jump out and yell, "Surprise!" The soldier listened intently, thinking he heard a noise.  _It was nothing_. Steve ran a hand through his blond hair, and decided to change out of his sweats. He had just come back from a long needed work out, and his body was unwound. His nerves felt relaxed.

 Steve walked into his bedroom and removed his shirt, then his pants. He could have sworn he heard a giggle. He looked up, ears perked to any noise. "Calm yourself Steve, you’re getting yourself worked up for nothing." the man told himself, and he slipped on a pair of jeans and one of his plaid shirts. He walked out of the room and was immediately started by a bright flash.

 "Happy birthday Steve!" Natasha giggled, and hugged the large man before her. Steve rubbed his eyes, still confused from the flash. He looked around to see the Avengers gathered in his room, dressed in silly party hats. "What's going on?" he asked, his face serious but his voice happy.

 "Well, Tony-" Clint began, but a quick cough from Tony caught his mistake. "Uh, I mean  _we_ thought that since you've missed so many birthdays, it wouldn't hurt to throw you a surprise party!" the assassin corrected himself, but not before Tony sent him a dirty look.

 Steve smiled, not sure of what to say. "Thanks guys, this means a lot to me." he said quietly, not meeting their eyes. Natasha peered at him questioningly, wondering what was bothering him. "So who wants cake?" Clint clapped his hands loudly, and everyone broke away to the large table. Steve looked at the cake, and laughed.

 The Captain America symbol had been drawn on it, and a picture of a young Steve sat in the middle where the star would usually be. "Where'd you guys find this?" he questioned, a tear trying to escape his eye. It really meant a lot to him that they had done this. "Natasha found it of course." Bruce laughed, and received a playful punch from the red head. Bruce tried to look amused, but when everyone had focused on Thor, he gently rubbed his arm.

 "Come now American man; let us enjoy this fabulous dessert made in your honor." Thor announced, patting Steve gently on the back. "Yeah, sounds good!" The soldier smiled as he picked up a knife, but Tony stopped him. "Allow me." Tony's arm, which had recently been hidden behind his back, now showed, and his arm was encased in his Iron Man repulsor. "I've been working on a little something." He smirked as he walked over to the table, and aimed at the cake. "No Tony that's still a-" Bruce tried to yell over the whir of the machine, but it was too late.

 The cake exploded, and the Avengers ducked; but not quick enough. Tony took his free hand to wipe cake out of his eyes, and immediately gasped at what he had done. "Shit..." he whispered under his breath, and he noticed the others with cake splattered on them as well. They got up slowly, and gave Tony a dirty look before their eyes fell on Steve, who seemed to have received most of the blast.

 Everyone held their breath, waiting for Steve to begin yelling. He came back up, his face covered with cake, the red, white, and blue frosting in his hair, and on his clothes. He wiped the cake away from his eyes, and stuck a frosting covered finger in his mouth.

 "Ooh, vanilla!" Steve chuckled, and Tony sighed with relief. The rest joined him, and they all proceeded to eat cake off each other’s faces, and throw it around the room. Natasha and Clint dominated the cake war, with Clint going so far as to get a rubber band and fling it at the others. Steve was having a great time. It was the first time in a long time he didn't think about the war, or Bucky.

 After the fight, they began cleaning up, as the cake had gotten just about everywhere. Tony poured drinks; he had bought Steve's favorite, blueberry schnapps. "To Captain America, the best and only super soldier I've ever known." He raised a glass, and all joined him in the toast. "Speech! Speech!" Clint said under a cupped hand. Steve smiled and got up from his spot on the couch. "Well, what is there to say except, thank you. You guys have made life so great, and," Steve paused, looking around the room, before his eyes fell on the brunette that he had been fighting with so often.

 "And I couldn't ask for a better group of friends." They all raised their drinks in approval, even Tony. Steve sighed, happy to see all his friends together.  _All except Bucky._ He swallowed a hard lump in his throat; he just had to think of him didn't he? Steve moved slowly towards the door, and when he saw everyone was pre-occupied, he sneaked out of the room, heading up to the rooftop.

 "Hey, where's Steve?" Bruce whispered to Tony. The man looked around, noticing everyone was distracted, and Steve must've slipped out. "I don't know, I'll try to go find him. Make sure everyone keeps having a good time, I'll be back in a sec." Tony quickly mumbled to Bruce, who nodded, and grabbed a bottle from the fridge. "Who's up for some drinks?" The whole room cheered, and Tony made his exit.

~*~

 "Steve? You up here?" Tony poked his head out the roof top door, the cold immediately nipping at his face. He shuddered, and heard a low voice. "I think that's the first time you ever called me Steve." The voice said quietly. Tony stepped out to find Steve sitting on the edge of the roof, hunched over. "Cap? What are you doing up here?" The brunette asked, rubbing his arms to keep warm.

 He heard Steve sniffle, and the blue-eyed man turned around to meet his gaze. "Have you been crying?" Tony groaned, not in the mood to deal with an upset super soldier. "What if I have been? Why are you even up here Stark?" The blond snapped; turning his head back towards the city.

 Tony felt a pang from Steve's cold words, and half of him wanted to walk off the roof at that moment. But he couldn't just leave him here, and so, he joined him. "Move over." he grumbled, making his way towards the super soldier. Steve looked up to see the arrogant man positioning himself near the edge, and the blond smiled softly, trying to keep it hidden, but he was touched. It was nice to know he was thinking of him.

 "So what's wrong?" Tony asked, keeping his eyes straight ahead. Steve followed his gaze, watching the dark storm clouds roll over New York City. "Nothing, just, old memories." The blond muttered, picking at the concrete of the roof. He didn't want to bug Tony with his problems. He didn't want to make the other feel as if he was a weak man.

 Tony growled, causing Steve to look up. "What?" Tony looked over surprised. "What?" Steve smiled, finding humor in the younger man's absent mindedness. "Nothing, let's go back inside, you look like you're freezing." The blond got up, and offered a hand to Tony. He scowled, and got up on his own.

 "I don't like to be handed things Cap, you should know that by now." Tony smirked as he walked towards the roof top door, leaving the super soldier standing alone. Steve looked out once more over New York, before walking slowly to meet up with Tony, pushing his memory back into the vault that was his mind.

~*~ _A few days later_ ~*~

 Tony felt his head jolt forward from the force of being pushed against a wall. "What the hell are you doing Stark? You can't be seriously doing this!" Natasha's voice was a harsh whisper, and her face was twisted with anger. "What the hell are you talking about? Doing what?" Tony asked, rubbing the back of his head. "Dammit Romanoff, I think you bruised me."

 "You're going to be getting a lot more than a bruise if you keep this up!" Natasha's voice rose, but she quickly caught herself. "Okay, please explain to me what I'm doing wrong!" Tony requested, giving her a bored look. "You and Rogers!" She quietly yelled.

 "What about me and Rog-"

 "Oh don't play dumb with me! I know you too like each other!"

 Tony's eyes practically bulged out of his head at the accusation. "What? You think Rogers and I  _like_ each other?" He felt his gut wrench.  _Oh God, I'm caught._

 "I don't think, I know. How could you do this to all of us? Do you understand what could happen if this all goes wrong?"

 Tony looked at Natasha sternly, trying to cover up the fact that he was lying through his teeth.

 "Natasha, there is nothing going on between us. I promise you that." Tony crossed his arms, and began to walk back into the hotel room. "But you want there to be don't you?" The woman muttered, and felt smirked as the man stopped dead in his tracks, and his whole body tensed. The brunette thought of all the nights that he dreamt of Steve, about how his bed was so cold without someone beside him, and how he only wanted Steve to see how he felt. How he  _truly_ felt.

 Natasha smiled, knowing that he took the bait. "You, you are a tricky one Romanov." Tony chuckled, laughing so he wouldn't start crying. He turned around slowly, putting his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright you caught me. So what? You gonna go tell everyone?" he asked, staring down at the ground, a forced smile on his face.

 "No, but, I just want you to be careful Tony, you're playing with fire. We're not talking about an experiment; we're talking about Steve Rogers, Captain America, our leader." The woman turned, and begun walking back towards the elevators. "I don't want this to break us all apart because you had a change of heart." Tony watched as the elevator doors shut, and he rubbed his eyes. "Oh, God, what am I doing?"

~*~

 "Uh, Steve?" Steve turned around quickly and saw a young Ashley before him. She wore a cashmere sweater, and a pair of jeans that complimented her petite figure. He smiled, and hugged her hello. "Hi Ash, how're you?" he mumbled as he tried not to crush her. This was going to be their first date; Steve was glad she hadn't cancelled after what had happened at the bar. "I'm fine thanks. Are you ready to see the movie?" she asked, her smile growing wider as she stared into his beautiful blue eyes. Ashley had had a few boyfriends, but none of them had lasted long. And after she officially met Steve, she hoped they would be able to be more than just a small fling.

 "Uh, yeah. Sounds good." The pair walked over to the ticket booth, and Steve was a complete gentleman, his old chivalrous side showing through. He paid for her ticket, bought the snacks, and let her choose the seats. "Wow, I can't say that happens every time I go on a date." Ashley joked, and Steve stared intently at her. "Really? I would think that a man would treat someone like you like a princess." Steve muttered, and Ashley smiled, feeling a blush creep over her face. "Wow, thank you, Steve." Their eyes met, and he saw her lean in for a kiss.

 He stared quietly, unsure of what to do. But he didn't have to do anything, as the previews began, and the theatre was filled with sound. Ashley pulled back, and the two sat silent for the rest of the film, Ashley out of embarrassment, and Steve out of confusion. What had stopped him from kissing her? It was almost as if he knew he would have felt guilty about it later. Tony suddenly worked his way into his mind, and Steve felt his heartbeat quicken.

_Oh no. Oh no, oh no._

~*~

 Tony tinkered with the large object in front of him, pulling up the designs on the screen next to him. "Dammit, why can't I get this right?" he groaned in anger, looking over the plans again and again. "If I may add some input sir?" Jarvis asked quietly, and moving images on the screen. Tony studied the changes thoroughly, and smiled. "Nice work Jarvis." The man added the adjustments, and smiled at his project. It was a present for Steve, just a little something to remind him of the good days.

 Tony grabbed a wrench and began to tighten the bolt when he heard the doors open. He looked over the object to see a young Bruce Banner entering the lab. He admired the large invention, a smile spreading over his face. "Wow Tony. It looks great!" The scientist walked around the object when he noticed a small emblem on the side. He tilted his head, and tried to get a closer look.

 Tony moved in front of the emblem, blocking the man's view, the arc reactor glowing. Bruce backed up, a shocked look on his face. "What's wrong Stark? Something you don't want me to see?" Bruce snickered, and Tony rolled his eyes. "Come on Bruce, I got our project over here." He pushed the other man slightly, and the two headed over to a small compact item.

 "It's looking great. Everything still stable?" Bruce asked, picking up a complex tool, and going at the little object. Tony nodded with approval. "If everything goes well, we should have this baby up and running in no time, and we can save a lot of time cleaning up around the lab." He chuckled, and Bruce laughed with him. He enjoyed Tony's company; it kept his mind occupied.

 The small object began to beep, and Bruce's face lit up. "Tony, you gotta come see this!" Tony rushed over, and watched as the object floated up, over to a trash bin, and lifted it into it. The sound of paper shredding filled the room, and the object floated over to the table, and landed itself back in front of them.

 The pair stared at each other in awe, and jumped for joy. "We did it Stark! We really did it!" Bruce hi-fived Tony and they marveled at their work. "We've done well." Bruce said proudly. "Hey, how about we celebrate? I know this great little café that has the best coffee." Tony offered, grabbing his jacket off the hook. Bruce followed after, excited for their work. But something in the back of his mind nagged him about that little emblem that Tony had tried so hard to hide.

~*~

 "Steve? Are you okay? You seem... Distant." Steve looked up from his coffee to see Ashley staring quietly, obviously concerned. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine. I just... have a lot on my mind." He didn't meet her eyes, and instead looked at the cup in front of him. He hadn't been able to focus much on the movie. He had come back into it here and there, but he had been too focused on analyzing the night he and Tony had shared, the moment on the rooftop. _What did it all mean?_

 Steve felt a hand grab his, and he looked up to see Ashley intertwining her fingers with his. He gave her an awkward smile, feigning embarrassment. The door to the cafe jingled open, and the soldier heard an all too familiar laugh. "Alright, I'll pay this time, but only because you actually got it to work." Tony chuckled as he and Bruce entered the cafe. Ashley was about to look over before he took her face in his hands, causing them both to blush.

 "Um, Ash? Why don't we get out of here, it's getting a little too crowded for my taste." Steve tried to keep his focus on Ashley, but it was getting harder to ignore Tony's presence. "Oh, yeah. How about my place?" The girl muttered quietly, a smile forming on her face. "Sure, anything you want." The soldier got up quickly, holding onto her hand and rushing out the door.

 Tony looked back as he heard the door jingle and his heart sank as he saw Steve with that woman, holding hands, and obviously in a rush to get somewhere. An angry blush raged his face, and he turned away, breaking out a flask he keeps hidden in his jacket. Bruce noticed out of the corner of his eye, but brushed it off. He figured Tony just couldn't wait for a drink. He hadn't noticed the couple rushing out the door.

~*~

 "I had a great time with you Steve." Ashley said, standing in her doorway. Steve smiled politely, hoping she didn't invite him in. Slowly, snow began to fall, causing Steve to look up. The girl giggled as she watched the snowflakes melt on his eyelashes, making little paths down his face. She had no idea he was crying.

 "Well, I should be going." Steve was about to turn away, but Ashley caught his arm. Before the man could protest, he felt her lips meet his, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He let her do the work, as he had only kissed two women in his whole life, and only one had given him a real rush. But he didn't want to feel that again, not with Ashley.

 Tony pulled up to the house, hedges along a wrought iron fence blocking his view. He got out of the car, leaving Bruce in the car to wonder what was going on. Truthfully, Tony had wanted to leave only a few minutes after they got in, and he seemed hell-bent on finding this address. "Tony's so weird." he mumbled, and flipped on some music.

 Tony turned the corner of the hedges and gasped. He watched as Steve kissed the blond, and his heart sank. Tony felt a sick feeling rise within him, and he hoped it was the booze finally getting to him. He turned around, keeping his head down. He was thankful for the snow falling. It would give him an excuse as to why his face was wet. He got back in the car, and slammed the door. Without buckling in, he sped off, wanting to be as far away from the house as possible.

 Steve pulled away from the kiss, and mumbled goodbye. Ashley said her goodbye, feeling as if she was walking on air. She closed the door behind her and fell to the floor in pure bliss. The soldier bounded off, wondering if he could hail a cab. He recognized Tony's car speeding off, and his gut wrenched. He had hoped that he hadn't seen what had just happened, but in his heart, he knew he had.

~*~

 "Stark! Slow the hell down! You're going to kill us!" Bruce braced himself, fear rising, and the Hulk beginning to rear his ugly head. Tony slammed down on the brakes. The car screeched to a halt, and Bruce could see heads turning to see the almost accident. The scientist ran a hand through his hair, taking deep breaths as he calmed down before turning to his friend.

 "What's up with you today? Why did you take off like that?" Tony didn't answer; he just ran a hand over his face, trying to keep calm. "Sorry Bruce. I didn't mean to freak out like that." he sighed, and hopped into the back seat. "Can you drive? I'm not exactly at my most stable point right now."

 Bruce watched silently, and did as Tony asked. He decided not to push the topic any further, and he began to drive them back to the hotel, looking back now and then to watch the broken man behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

 "Hey Tony." Tony's head shot up from behind the machine, eyes glaring at the tall blond. Steve stood in his old army suit, his hair combed perfectly. "Where are you going?" The dark haired man growled, getting up to refill his glass. He tried to act uninterested, but he really was curious; and actually a bit jealous. Steve picked up on Tony's cold attitude, and bit his lip nervously. "Um, me and Ashley are going out for some dinner thing- are you okay?" The blond tilted his head, following the man with his eyes. Tony slammed the bottle down on the counter, refusing to face him. "Me? I'm great."

 Tony felt a hand turn him around briskly, and his eyes were met by a pair of blue ones. They studied him, looking over him, trying to look through him. But they couldn't. Tony's bloodshot eyes kept them from truly seeing what was wrong. Steve dropped his hands, but his eyes remained locked on Tony's. "Why won't you talk to me?" Steve questioned, his face stern.

 Tony looked away, unsure of what to tell the super soldier. "What are you so afraid to say?" Steve's voice was soothing, but a sudden anger swept over the man, his defenses quickly building up once more. Tony's head snapped up, and a scowl found its way up onto his handsome face. "What am  _I_  afraid to say? You're the one who constantly keeps to himself! The one who always has to be the tough guy! You never let anyone in!" he argued, his voice rising with each sentence.

 "You never let anyone help you! Even when you know you need it the most, you just keep it to yourself!" "Listen to yourself for once! This isn't about me. You just described yourself." Steve muttered quietly. The two stared each other down for a moment, before the sound of doors opening broke their concentration.

 Bruce walked in, tablet in hand. He was scrolling through some type of blue print, his face twisted in deep concentration. "Hey Tony, so I was thinking about that project that you wanted to start and I-" He stopped himself when he noticed Steve was in the room, and smiled. "Hey Steve, am I- uh-am I interrupting something?" Bruce asked, moving his hands in an awkward gesture.

 Steve was about to say something, but Tony cut him off. "No, Steve was just leaving. Weren't you Steve?" The soldier looked at Tony, a hurt look on his face. But the other man didn't seem to care. He simply continued sipping on his drink, and completely ignored Steve. Bruce watched the two of them, sensing something was wrong. His eyes connected briefly with Steve's, who looked on the verge of tears.

 "Right. Bye Bruce. You two have fun." Steve stormed out, not looking back once. Bruce was left in confusion, shaking his head lightly. "So you were talking about that project?" Tony asked, heading to where his friend stood, pushing Steve out of his mind.

~*~

 "Steve, what's up with you today?" Ashley's voice broke Steve's concentration, and he remembered where he was. The couple was seated in the restaurant, a plate of pasta before Steve. He hadn’t touched it; he wasn't hungry. The girl bit her lip, worried. She looked up at him, and saw him smiling. She sighed, and took his hand in hers.

 He stared down at their hands, wishing it were Tony’s instead of hers.  _No. You need to keep him out of your mind. Ashley likes you. And you should be with her._  Steve looked up to Ashley, who began to eat the plate of chicken before her. He removed his hand, and tried to find his appetite. He knew he wouldn’t though.

 “So Steve, where do you train?” Ashley asked. “Oh, um, here in New York, but they had us move around a bit.” Steve said, pushing the food around with his fork. “Really? I don’t think I’ve seen a camp around here for a while.” Ashley said, trying to keep the conversation alive. “Well, that means they’ve been doing their job.” Steve mumbled.

 He heard Ashley laugh, and knew she took it as a joke. “Enough about me. Tell me a bit about yourself.” Steve wanted to get the attention off himself, as he was afraid of something slipping out.

 "Well, what's there to say? I'm a small town girl, and I grew up with a nice family. We had our days, but other than that, things were great..." Ashley began, and Steve tried to act interested. He wanted to look like a gentleman, but he couldn't stop looking at the back of a familiar man.

~*~

 "I'm really glad we came here tonight Tony! It's been way too long. I missed you." Pepper said as she admired the large restaurant. "Anything for you Miss. Potts." Tony grinned, and the woman giggled. She leaned forward and the two gently kissed. It felt nice having Pepper back around. He finally felt as if he could relax, and forget about what happened.

 Tony looked at a nearby pillar, covered in mirrors, and gasped. Two blue eyes stared back at him, full of recognition. He quickly looked over to Pepper, who gave him a confused look. "Alright, which ex did you see?" She joked. Tony laughed with her, trying to avoid looking at the mirrors. "No, it was nothing. Thought I saw someone, probably just a figment of my imagination." A waiter walked over to their table, holding a tray of drinks. "Here you are. Compliments of the couple at table twenty three." The waiter set down two glasses and a note.

 Pepper sipped at her drink and smiled. "Mmm! Blueberry schnapps!" Tony froze, and glanced down at the note.  _I see you Tony. Meet me by the doors in five. We need to talk._  He crumpled the paper in his lap and tried to focus on ordering his food.

 "So what are you thinking of getting?" Tony asked, staring daggers at his menu. Pepper pursed her lips in thought. "I don't know, what do you-" Pepper looked up, to see Tony was gone. She looked around confused, wondering where he could've run off to. She sighed and drank more of the schnapps, listening to the smooth jazz that played from the live band.

~*~

 "Glad to see you came." Steve's voice sent chills down Tony's spine, and he turned around slowly. Steve stood dressed in uniform, and the brunette smiled. "What are the chances that we both come to the same restaurant?" The soldier laughed. Tony laughed with him, running a hand through his dark hair. "Yeah what are the odds?" Steve looked down at the other man, waiting for more of a conversation. A silence passed, and Tony cleared his throat. "Is now really the best time to be talking about this?" he muttered, shoving his hands in his pants pockets.

 "So you did see. I thought I recognized the car speeding off." Steve looked around, too embarrassed to meet Tony's eyes. He heard Tony chuckle, and place a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I'm happy for you two. I was just feeling lonely, and seeing you with her; it reminded me of what I was missing from Pepper." The man lied, trying to get Steve to look at him. 

 Steve sighed and looked up at Tony, brown eyes full of gentleness. "Hey, would you mind if we talk later? Ashley is probably wondering where I am." Steve said, glancing over his shoulder. Tony nodded, and removed his hand from Steve's shoulder. "Yeah, same for Pepper. I'll talk to you later Cap." he muttered, and gave Steve a small wave.

 Steve grabbed his arm, stopping Tony in in his tracks. "Hey," He embraced the brunette in a long hug, nothing special, just a simple hug. But it meant everything to them; they separated, and headed back to their tables. "You okay Tony? You're shivering." Pepper mumbled as Tony sat down. "Um, yeah. It's pretty chilly in those bathrooms." He tried to cover his tracks, and his girlfriend seemed to buy it. The waiter returned, and they placed their orders.

 Ashley waved at Steve as he came back over, and sat across from her. "Glad to see you came back, I thought you had left." she muttered, smiling down at her dinner. "Nah, I just had to do something real quick." The blond looked over Ashley's shoulder once more, and saw Tony wink in the mirror.

~*~

 Tony flipped off his radio, and turned down the fire. Pepper lay on the couch, and a Christmas song had lullaby-ed her to sleep. She had a business trip in the morning, and Tony and she had spent the whole night in each other's arms. It was perfect. He looked over and watched his angel breathing, her hair hanging in her face.

 He sighed, and picked her up. She nestled her head against his chest, the soft silk robe rubbing against her smooth skin. Tony placed her gently in their bed, and kissed her forehead. A knock at the door grabbed his attention, and he had to slow his pace he was so excited.

 Steve stood at the door, still dressed in uniform. "Hey, you ready to go for that little walk?" Tony nodded, and removed his robe. He was dressed in a fine suit, and Steve laughed. "Is that what you're wearing?" The brunette scowled. "I like my suits. Get off my back." He gently closed the door behind them, and placed the room key in his pocket. 

 The two remained silent until they excited the building, and headed towards central park. A light snow had begun to fall, and people were bundled up. The streets were quiet, still filled, but quiet. Tony breathed in the chilly November air, and grinned. "I always loved this time of the year." Steve looked up, and smiled. "Yeah. Me too."

 And they just kept walking, the November winds nipping at their faces, numbing their noses. Tony spotted a Starbucks, and tapped Steve's arm. The other man nodded, wanting some coffee to help warm his numbs hands. They entered, and Ed Sheeran's  _The A Team_  could be heard over the din of plates and whir of blenders. Not many inhabited the small cafe. A few people on their laptops, and two couples.

 They ordered their drinks, and headed to a table in the back of the cafe. Steve held his black coffee, trying to find some feeling in them. Tony did the same. He didn't like his coffee too hot anyways. The two stared at each other, and Tony began to laugh.

 "What's so funny?" Steve's face set into a serious look, causing Tony to laugh even harder. "Nothing. Don't worry about it." He waved his hand dismissively, trying to stifle his laughter. "No, tell me." the blond said, not understanding why Tony was laughing. Then again, it  _was_ Tony.

 "Oh God... It's just... Only a few months ago, we were fighting all the time. And now, here we are, sitting at a Starbucks, becoming closer than I ever thought we would." Tony explained. He looked out the window at the stalled cars, and the street lights. "It's funny how life works. You know?" he muttered. Steve nodded, and sipped at his coffee. The liquid burned on its way down, but he didn't mind; it was a nice reminder that he was still alive.

 And the silence continued. Neither was sure of how long, but it didn't matter. They didn't need to talk; it was perfect without words. "You ready to head out?" Steve looked up and saw Tony moving towards the garbage, and he followed after. He hadn't drunk much of his coffee. He didn't like Starbucks much, but he came for Tony's sake.

 They moved out to the cold outside, and Tony immediately regretted not having grabbed a jacket. He rubbed his arms, and watched his breath form a fog in front of his face. "Here." Tony looked up to see Steve offering him his jacket, and the brunette smirked. "I'll be fine." He waved his hand again, but Steve wouldn't have it. He threw the jacket over the younger man's shoulder, and held it there.

 "Come on Cap, let me go. I don't want your damn jacket." Tony tried to shrug the coat off, but Steve still held it in place. He began to laugh as Tony struggled, and the man smashed himself into the super soldier. Steve was expecting the attack, and caught him, wrapping his arms tight around the brunette. The two suddenly fell silent, their laughing ceased, and they looked into each other’s eyes.

 Steve looked at Tony's lips, and felt a heat rising through his chilled body. Tony shifted his weight, and pulled away. "Tony?" The blond looked at him, and watched as he began to walk away. "Come on, it's getting late, and we ought to get home." Tony muttered, and shoved his hands in his pant pockets, not bothering to remove Steve's jacket.

 "Hey, let's get a cab back. You're exhausted, and I don't want to have to carry you back if you end up falling asleep." Steve considered, seeing Tony's pace slowing a bit. "Fine." muttered Tony. He was done, and just wanted to get sleep, and just dream of his good memories. Steve picked up his hand, and a cab slowed to a stop near them. He held the door open, letting Tony go first. The man grumbled a complaint under his breath, but climbed in regardless.

 Steve quickly told the cabbie the address of their hotel, and he seat belted himself in. Tony had closed his eyes, lack of sleep finally taking its toll on him. Steve took Tony's head, and leaned it against his own shoulder, and he saw a smile pass the rich man's lips. The blond folded his hands in his lap, and sat in silence for the rest of the ride.

~*~

 Steve dodged blasts from the ray guns, watching as the men around him disintegrated into thin air. His heart pounded in his chest, and he tried to keep up with the dark figure. The figure was fast, and Steve was jumping bodies, there were so many... It turned a corner, and Steve saw he was in the train, and Bucky stood there, shield in hand. The gun he held wasn't working, and Steve was frozen in place. Bucky cried out Steve's name, and reached for his hand. The soldier dove for his friend, but he was too late. He watched his friend descend into the cold abyss, his cry over powering the loud noise of the train.

 "Bucky! Noooooo!" Steve roared, and suddenly he was back in his room. Steve looked around the dark room, and realized it was all a dream. "Bucky..." he whispered, and buried his head in his hands. Sobs rocked his whole body as he grieved over his lost friend. Tony bounded in through the bedroom door, followed by Bruce and Clint. "You okay Cap?" The man asked, looking disheveled as he ran over to Steve's bedside.

 

 Steve couldn't speak, he only sobbed, and Tony held him close; the others could only stand in silence as they watched the strong man break down into tears. Clint joined them on the bed, and so did Bruce. They all sat in silence except for Steve, who was still shaking. It was all just a horrible memory.


	9. Chapter 9

"Steve! Cut it out!" Tony complained as the blond locked his head in his arm. "Say uncle." Steve taunted. Tony ground his teeth, trying to find a way to slip out of the headlock. "Say it or I'll screw up your hair." The soldier threatened, enjoying the feel of power. "You wouldn't dare." The other man growled.

Steve placed his fist in front of Tony's face, and slowly made his way to the man's perfect hair. "Wait! Uncle! Uncle!" Tony pleaded, and Steve released the man, who glared at him. The blond simply laughed, and Natasha walked in on the fun. "Well, looks like you two are having a fun time, 'training'." She put air quotes around the last word, causing Steve to laugh even harder. Tony shoved him hard, and the super soldier fell onto the ropes.

Natasha sighed, happy for the two friends. She could only hope it would stay that way. But Mr. Stark always gets what he wants. Clint entered the room a moment later, and kissed his fiancée hello. Steve made a mock gagging noise, and Tony chuckled. "You two are in good spirits today. What's up with that?" Clint asked, making his way towards the boxing ring.

Steve shrugged, wiping his forehead with an already wet cloth. "Just a good day I guess." Tony caught Steve looking at him, and winked. Natasha held her breath, hoping Clint would remain clueless to the scene. "Alright, well you two have had your fun, now it's our turn." Clint entered the ring, and reached a hand out to help Natasha. She let out a breath, happy to know her lover was still a bit clueless.

"Come on Tony; let's let the two love birds have some fun." Steve flipped out the ring, and Tony followed after. The two laughed at nothing, and Natasha watched with curiosity. "I wonder what's gotten into them?" Clint asked, stretching his arms. The woman shrugged. A thought passed through her mind, and she shuddered. Just don't let it be what I think it is.

"Alright Tash, you ready?" Clint asked, stretching his arms behind his head. Natasha cast one last look back at the laughing couple, and shook her head. "As ready as I'll ever be." she smiled, and pounced.

~*~

"Mr. Stark, you're home early." Jarvis's voice rang through the empty lab, and Tony smiled. "Yeah, and I brought a friend." he ushered Steve in, who looked in total awe at the work before him. The large machine was tall, much taller than Tony had described. It was painted a navy blue, with white stars on the side. Steve traced his hand across the smooth metal, and a button beeped at his touch. He jumped back, as a punching bag immediately sprung from the side.

Tony smiled as he watched his friend inspect the gift, and laughed at his sudden surprise. "I made the chain out of adamantium Thought you might be a little sick of replacing your punching bag every time,” he joked, and Steve gave him a strong hug, lifting him a bit, and the man gasped. "Thanks Tony, this is the best gift ever." He muttered into Tony's shirt, and Tony smiled. "There's a lot more to it, let me show you."

Steve placed Tony back on solid ground, and the genius went through the machine, showing the different settings, the different training modes, and the built in coffee machine. "Also, I hope you don't mind but I bought you your own gym- this machine is pretty big, and I didn't want it getting damaged by some rookie." Tony explained, dusting off a smudge on the paint. 

Steve sighed, looking over once more at the gift. "Tony, you really shouldn't have." He ran a hand through his hair, just in complete shock that Tony would do this for him. The man waved his hand dismissively. "Consider it a really late birthday present."

Steve looked up and smiled at the playboy, who smiled back. Steve hugged Tony tightly, and wanted to thank him a thousand times over. It was absolutely perfect, and it was the best gift he had ever received. Tony's phone began to ring, and he thought about ignoring it. "It's Director Fury, sir." Jarvis said. Tony and Steve exchanged a look, and the brunette brought out his cell phone. Director Fury's name flashed on the screen. "I wonder what the big man wants." Tony grumbled, and pressed talk.

~*~

"I'm glad you could all make it today!" Fury's voice boomed over the din of the bar, and everyone cheered with excitement. It was unlike him to hold a party like this, and everyone was glad to see him so relaxed. Steve and Tony turned in their bar stools to see the director with a drink in his hand, and a smile on his face. "I wanted to thank you all, for your work to S.H.I.E.L.D, and," he paused, taking a moment to look at each of the Avengers. "For your work protecting this country. To you all, I owe my life. Cheers!" Everyone joined him in the toast, and then returned to their normal conversations.

Steve checked his watch nervously, and Tony rolled his eyes. "Calm down Steve, she'll be here." The blond watched the door, and bit his lip. "I don't know Tony, what if she stood me up?" Steve had invited Ashley to the bar, and hoped that tonight would be the night; he would tell her how he felt. Or at least how he thought he felt.

"Steve, relax. We can use this time as a chance to give you some dancing lessons." Tony stood up and stretched, then turned to his friend. Steve stared awkwardly, and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know Tony, why don't I-" Tony placed his hand over Steve's mouth to silence him. "Steve, shut up." He took Steve's hand in his and pulled him towards the dance floor. Other couples danced close to the current slow song, and it was nearing its end.

"Alright, do you know how to lead?"

"Um, I've only done it once, but I think I can do it."

Tony didn't trust Steve one bit. "Alright, how about this, I'll lead, and then you can take over." The brunette quickly placed his hands in the correct positions, and Steve did the same. Piano Man began to play in the background, and Steve felt himself swaying to the music.

"What song is this?" he asked, closing his eyes in the moment. "Piano Man, by Billy Joel. It's a classic." Tony said quickly, noticing all eyes falling on them. "Tony, everyone is staring at us." muttered Steve, a blush crawling up his face. The brunette heard a group giggling, and turned his head in their direction.

"What? You've never seen two men dance before?" Tony snapped, and the group put their heads down, muttering under their breaths. He turned his attention back to Steve, who was blushing furiously, "Relax Steve. Don't worry about them. It's just you and me right now." The blond let out a breath, and the two began to dance, keeping the beat of the song.

Steve began to get the hang of it, and Tony decided to let him lead. The soldier was a bit awkward with it at first, stepping on Tony's toes every now and then, but once he got the hang of it, Tony realized Steve was very graceful. That super soldier serum didn't just make him another pretty face. The song slowly ended, and Tony and Steve separated. "Thanks for that Tony." The man said, a blush threatening to ravage his face. He rubbed the back of his neck, and saw Tony heading towards the bar.

"Your girl's here, better snatch her before someone else does." Tony called back over his shoulder. Steve turned around to see Ashley entering the bar, a nervous look on her face. She spotted the soldier and her face lit up. Steve waved as he headed over to greet her. Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked him on the lips.

Steve resisted the urge to pull away, figuring he should allow her to enjoy the moment. Ashley pulled away after a few seconds, and he smiled down at her. Tony entered his mind, and he could only hope seeing this wouldn't cause the man much pain.

"It's so great to see you. I missed you, and I couldn't stop thinking about you." Ashley babbled on, and Steve tried to listen politely. He showed her to a table, and she continued with her conversation. Steve couldn't have been more uninterested. He wanted to leave, but he knew he couldn't be rude. Damn his politeness. Tony chuckled as he ordered another drink, hoping to get as drunk as possible.

"Drinking isn't going to make it go away." Natasha said as she slid into the seat beside Tony. He simply stared ahead at all the bottles, wanting to ignore her presence. "Ignore me all you want. It's the truth. You're going to have to deal with the fact of Steve liking someone else." The woman sighed, sipping on her martini. Tony swallowed hard, trying to lose himself in the music, which didn't exactly make things better.

"Oh, I love this song! You want to dance?" Ashley said as she swayed slowly to the music. Best of My Love by the Eagles played over the speakers, and Steve nodded curtly. They made their way to the dance floor, and the soldier tried his best to dance just as Tony had showed him.

Ashley pulled Steve close, nestling her head in his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Steve looked over her, and spotted Tony sitting at the bar, watching them dance. The blond felt his heart break, and shook his head quickly. "I'm sorry Ashley, I can't do this anymore." Steve removed Ashley's arms from around his neck, and avoided eye contact. "I can't keep leading you on like this. I'm sorry."

Steve began to back away, staring at the floor. He ran for the door, pushing past all the bodies. He needed to run; he needed to get away from it all. Tony turned around just in time to see Ashley on the verge of tears, and Steve's coat-tail disappearing out the door. "Oh no." Tony quickly got up, and began to run after the super soldier. "Steve? Steve!" He pushed past the bodies on the sidewalk, receiving yells and curses.

He looked around in the street, but it was of no use. Natasha had followed out after the two lovers, curious as to what the hell was going on. “Tony?” She peered at the man before her, who looked bewildered and confused. “What the hell happened back there? Why did Steve run out like that?” Tony turned around quickly. “Natasha, I need you to do me a favor. Don’t let anybody know Steve left or I. Get Ashley out of here, take her home or something,” he ordered, and the woman nodded, taken aback by his sudden aggressiveness.

“No one is allowed back at the hotel without me knowing, got it?” Tony began to run, but Natasha stopped him. “Tony,” He looked back to see a soft smile on her face. “You really love him don’t you?” Tony smirked, and looked away. “Just make sure that no one comes back to the hotel.” Natasha released her grip on his arm, and watched the Iron Man, the one who never truly loved, run after the man he loved with all his heart.

“Natasha? Where the hell have you been?” Clint asked as he made his way out the door. Natasha turned around, the smile still on her face. “Out here, I have to do something real quick. Would you mind helping me out?” she asked, gripping his hand tightly. Clint nodded, and the two headed back indoors.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so smut happens in this chapter, and please excuse the fact that it may be bad. It's unsaveable I tried guys. There's better smut later *Spoiler alert*

 "I knew I'd find you up here." Steve looked up, only to see Tony standing above him- floating actually. He wore his Iron Man suit, the mask covering his face. The blond took his head in his hands and rubbed his temples. Tony was the last person he wanted to see right now. "What do you want Stark?" he mumbled into his hands. The other man floated to the roof top and landed, flipping up his mask so he could get a better look at the broken soldier before him.

 Tony sat next to him, and put his arm around the blond. The brunette looked up at the city sky, the stars being outshone by the lights below them. Steve picked his head up and tried to blink back his tears, not wanting the other to see him cry, but wanting to know what his intentions were. Tony looked over to him and smiled, seeing right through the man's serious mask. "You can't fool me Steve. I know you're upset, and I know you want to talk about it." He wiped away a tear that rolled down the blond’s cheek, causing him to flinch at the cold touch of the metal.

 Steve sighed and looked up at the sky, trying to think of what to say. So many things were going through his mind at that time, and he was just was too jumbled to put them all into words. "I- I can't tell you exactly." He finally managed to say, once again hunching over and wiping away his tears.

 Tony took his free hand and turned Steve's head towards him. "Listen. You know me well enough to know that whatever the hell you say, isn't going to change anything." The brunette stared into Steve's beautiful blue eyes that seemed so much darker now. He wanted to know what he was thinking, why he was acting this way. And Tony could only hope it was the same reason that he wanted it to be.  _Tell me you love me Steve, just please, tell me._

 Steve took his head away from Tony's metal hand, the cold no longer affecting his heated face. "You don't get it do you? I can't tell you what I need to tell you!" he yelled, becoming more and more frustrated with himself. He got up from his spot on the edge of the building and moved towards the door to the stairs. He wanted to clear his head, and Tony being there wasn't helping. The other man quickly got up and blocked his path. "Move out of my way Tony." Steve growled, glaring at the iron man. The brunette smiled and crossed his arms across his chest. "Make me."

 And so, he did. Without thinking, Steve stepped up to Tony and kissed him. Their lips danced with each other, a spark- no- a flame igniting with the simple touch between them. The soldier held Tony tight, wanting to be as close to him as possible. The brunette pressed against Steve with a passion, the cold of the metal seeping through the blond's clothing, but he felt nothing. His body was on fire, and it was the only thing he could feel. Tony's body melted under the blond's touch, and he wanted to shed the metal that encased him, the metal that kept him from truly connecting with this man, the one man that he finally realized he  _truly_  loved. He ran his hand into Steve's hair, tugging lightly, imagining himself screaming the man's name and grabbing even harder. The soldier smiled against Tony's lips, and the brunette took this opportunity to let his tongue slip in, and their tongues danced against each other in a way that made them lose themselves in the moment.

 Steve wanted him, oh, how he had wanted him. He wanted to feel his touch; he wanted to feel their bodies colliding, free of all things that held them back. Tony tried to bring their bodies closer, wanting to feel the heat. He wanted Steve to warm his icy heart, to make a fool out of him,  _to make him want more_. He wanted them to become one; he wanted Steve to know just how long he had waited for this man to realize everything he felt about him. The soldier slammed Tony against the metal door, the force causing a small dent; but neither noticed. They could have fallen down the stairs, and they wouldn't have cared. Steve tried his hardest to just lose himself in this man, to just let it all go, forget everything that had ever happened to him, and  not care about whatever would. He wanted to live for now, for  _right now._ Their kisses became even more passionate, their breathing even harder. "Tony..." Steve gasped, and Tony pushed himself off the door, causing their bodies to fly forward. Steve caught his balance, and they just stood there for a moment, panting, but not moving back from the kiss

 Steve opened his eyes and came back to reality. He pushed himself off of Tony, leaving the man breathless and confused. Their heavy breathing was apparent in the icy air, but their bodies still remained burning. Steve backed away, in shock, coming into realization of what had just conspired. Tony's head spun and he propped himself up against the door, keeping his eyes locked on the man before him. His eyes suddenly fell to the soldier's position, and he found himself screaming out. The blond kept backing away, hearing a distant voice- Tony's voice- but he couldn't make out what he was saying. Before he knew what was happening, he felt the ground disappear from beneath him, and he fell off the roof top, one hundred stories up.

 "Tony!" he cried, watching the sky as he fell backwards towards the snow covered ground. Tony ran towards the edge, and slipped, just as he had in his nightmare. "No!" he cried, he watched Steve come closer to the ground, and boosted himself off the roof, diving after his falling lover. They were coming precariously close, and Tony stepped up the boosters. Steve reached for the man's hand, and Tony reached for his. Just a few feet away from the ground....

 Their hands connected, and Tony turned sharply upwards back toward the roof top. He pulled Steve up close, holding him as they flew upwards. They landed with a soft thud at the top of the building, the snow cushioning their fall. Both lay there, staring up at the stars, breathless. Their adrenaline surged, and Steve thought his heart would explode from his chest.

 He looked at Tony, who looked at him, and they smiled. "I thought I would have lost you there Captain." Tony panted. “Consider it pay back from a few months ago." Laughed Steve, and he rose from the snow, cringing as he finally put weight on his ankles. He cried out with pain, and the brunette caught him. "You alright?" he asked, giving Steve a concerned look. "I'm fine, but I'll need some help getting home." he said smiling. "Think you could give me a lift, Mr. Stark?" Tony placed the man over his shoulders, adjusting him so he was splayed out against his back. "Of course, Captain." 

 Tony flew off; making sure Steve was positioned safely on his back. The blond laughed with joy, he had never seen so much of the city, and it was beautiful. Tony decided to show off, and moved Steve from his back to his front, so they were staring at each other. Steve wrapped his arms around Tony's neck, and the brunette spun them around, causing Steve to yell with fright, but grin with excitement. Tony laughed, and focused on where they were going.

 They reached Stark towers, and Steve understood why. Tony placed him down, and the blond watched Tony strip himself of his suit, exposing his fit body to the cold. Steve got up slowly, and the brunette moved to steady him. They moved themselves to the bedroom, kissing passionately along the way, not wanting to waste another minute that they wouldn't be in each other's arms. When they reached the bedroom door, Steve kicked it in. Tony looked surprised, and the soldier smiled.

 "What happened to your ankles?"                                                                                                                        

 "I'm a fast healer." Steve said, and tossed Tony onto the bed, causing the springs to squeak slightly.

Steve removed his pants before he climbed on the bed, helping Tony with his own pants. Their lips collided, and Steve pinned Tony's arms above his head. Tony groaned with pleasure as Steve kissed his way down his chest, down to his growing erection. Steve used his free hand to remove Tony's boxers, admiring the sight. He let his lips brush past Tony's prick, watching it twitch with pleasure. Tony bit back another moan. "I thought you said you were a virgin." he gasped, and Steve smiled. "I am," Steve growled, kissing his way back up Tony's body, letting his hand do the work on his hard cock. Tony moaned, and Steve kissed him lightly, letting the moan pass from his lips into his mouth. "But that doesn't mean I haven't thought about this from the day we met." Steve felt Tony growing harder beneath him. "Damn it Steve, you've got quite the imagination." Tony said, clenching his teeth. He got one hand free, and tore off Steve's own boxers part way, enough to expose the large cock that he had dreamed about. "That super soldier serum worked wonders." He purred, and put an arm around the larger man's waist, pulling him close. Their naked bodies collided, and sweat mixed in such a perfect way, with cocks growing harder with each grinding movement.

"Steve," Tony gasped, clawing at his back. Steve licked the brunette's neck, causing him to arch beneath him. "Damn it Steve, stop!" His breathing was becoming ragged, and he felt his prick begging to be let loose. The blond nipped at his shoulder, and Tony moaned, wanting Steve to just  _fuck_  him already. He kissed the place he had nipped at, before biting down again, harder this time, and letting his tongue slide over it. Tony couldn't take much more. The soldier pulled himself off, and looked at Tony. He licked his lips, hungry for more. The brunette sat up, and crawled his way across the covers. Satin sheets caused him to lose his balance the slightest bit, but he gracefully caught himself, and he heard Steve giggle at him, before taking his chin in his hand. Steve was perched before him, on the edge of the bed. His smile, his eyes, all screamed for Tony. He reached the super soldier, and pressed himself against Steve's overly fit body.

Steve moaned at the feeling of Tony's stiff cock against his own, loving the way his heat felt. Tony grabbed Steve's shoulders, and spun him so that he was now below Tony. He smiled, and dragged his teeth across his lips. He grabbed the blond's firm ass, and quickly grabbed his cock with the other hand. His eyes widened, and filled with pleasure. Tony began to stroke him, and moved his way down to Steve's body, kissing his neck, his chest, and finally reaching his pecs. He bit down on Steve's nipple, and he cried out. "Like that big boy?" Tony growled, letting his tongue flick over it, showing it some affection.

Steve clenched his teeth, his thoughts running wild, he couldn't think straight. He loved the surprise that Tony ensued, he never knew, -  _oh God!_  The soldier's body tensed at the feeling of Tony's fingers within him, pumping them, and his breathing hitched. "Tony, please. Just  _fuck me already_!" Steve begged, a hard edge to his voice. "Not yet. I want to savor the moment." Tony removed his fingers, and laced them with Steve's. "I love you Steven G Rogers." He whispered in Steve's ear. Steve's breathing stopped. "I love you too Anthony E Stark." Steve replied, his eyes locking with Tony's.

 Without warning, Tony shoved himself in Steve, causing them both to cry out with pleasure. The super soldier pulled Tony's head to his, their lips colliding. Steve intertwined his hands in Tony's hair, tugging hard. Tony rammed himself into Steve's prostate, and the pain eased. Tony pushed himself deeper into Steve, moving his hips faster, and he didn't know how much longer he could last. "T-Tony," Steve's voice was weak and Tony smiled enjoying the power. "Go ahead Steve. I want to do what you need to enjoy this moment."

 

Steve's eyes rolled back into his head as he came, and Tony knew he was close too. He thrust himself a few more times, before finally coming himself. He pulled out of Steve, and fell over to the side. Their panting was now the only sound in the empty room. Steve looked over at Tony, and they simply lay there, enjoying the utter bliss. "Thank you." Steve whispered, and kissed Tony, who smiled. Tony curled up beside him. "No need to thank me." he whispered and fell asleep. Steve chuckled, and nodded off.

 

~*~

 The next morning, Tony woke up to Steve still sleeping. He watched his strong chest rise and fall, the sun causing his body to almost glow. He didn't want to get out of bed, but he knew he would have to. So with much resistance, he lifted himself out of his bed and threw on a pair of boxers. He made his way to the kitchen yawning.

 "Sleep well Stark?"

 Tony lifted his head to see Natasha giving him a smug look. "Romanoff! How long have you been here?" Tony squeaked, not expecting a visitor. "Oh, not long." she smiled coolly, sipping at a cup of coffee. The brunette stood there, still in his boxers, dumbstruck. "So, you and Steve huh?" Natasha placed her coffee down, and stood. Tony rubbed the back of his neck, and finally met her eyes. "Yeah, me and Steve."

 She simply sighed, and began to head for the door. "Just don't forget what I said Stark." And with that, she was gone. Tony looked back at the bedroom door, and bit his lip. He could only hope that he hadn't made a huge mistake. But as he watched Steve step out of the room, his hair all over the place, and a wide grin on his face, he knew he had done the right thing. He loved Steve, and Steve loved him.

 Everything was perfect.


	11. Chapter 11

 About a month had passed since Steve and Tony had begun their affair. They tried to hide it from the rest of the Avengers, besides Natasha of course. They knew they could trust her. But the others… They didn’t know how they would all handle it. Barton remained clueless, and Thor had left the night after. “Important business in Asgard,” was all he could tell them. Bruce was a little more difficult. With him and Tony always working in their lab, Steve found it hard to spend time with his new boyfriend. And as for Pepper, well, they were going to save her for last.

 “I don’t know if I can keep doing this Steve.” Tony whispered between passionate kisses. The two lovers had joined in Steve’s hotel room, considering it to be the safest place. Bruce was just about always in the lab, and Clint liked to surprise Tony with his little assassin tactics. No one really visited Steve, thinking that he was at the gym with his new toy.

 Steve pulled away, and looked at his lover. “What do you mean?” The blond asked, studying his face. “You know exactly what I mean. I can’t keep lying to Pepper. She… She deserves better than this.” Tony held his head in his hands, and sat back on the couch. Steve wrapped an arm around him, and Tony sighed heavily. “I love you Steve, I really do, but-“ “But you loved her first.” the soldier finished, feeling a sick feeling rise in his stomach. “I just don’t know what to do- I keep having nightmares, I feel so guilty.” Tony's voice broke, and a single tear tried to escape.

 “Tony, maybe we need to end this.” Steve choked out, a lump rising in his throat.

 “No, no Steve. I need you, but I need to tell her.”

 “When? I want to be there when the truth comes out.”

 Tony didn’t respond. He simply looked up, and stared into Steve’s blue eyes. And in them, Steve found the answer.  _Soon._

~*~

 “Tony? Steve?” Natasha called out into the empty hall, looking for the two lovers. She adjusted her blue dress, the tight fabric constricting her. “Where the hell are you two? Everyone is waiting!” she called out, louder this time. “We’re coming, we’re coming.” Tony muttered, a fussy Steve following behind him. “Steve, stop touching my damn hair.” he growled, causing the blond to smile. “You want to look good don’t you?” He tried to fix a strand that hung in the man’s beautiful face, but Tony swatted him away.

 “Yeah, I do.” he mumbled, and continued walking towards Natasha. She tried to hide the amused look on her face; even more so when Tony shot her the dirtiest look he could muster up. She looked at Steve, who gave her a soft smile, and shrugged his shoulders as if to say, W _hat am I going to do with him?_

 "Holy..." Tony gasped as he walked into the room, covered in white. The table clothes, the decorations, the people, it all looked as if they had entered some sort of wonderland. "Damn...They really went all out with it this year." Steve whispered, taking in the scenery. Natasha giggled; she was used to the entire decor, since she had been a member of S.H.I.E.L.D for so long. A slow song floated around in the background, tempting Steve to grab Tony's hand and bring him onto the dance floor. "I better go find Clint; he always loves to have a little too much fun at these parties. She gave the lovers a small wave, and headed into the crowd.

 "Well look at you two! Finally friends I see?" A deep voice boomed from behind them. They turned, and grinned. "Director Fury, you should know better to judge a scene from first sight." Tony's voice was light, and Steve smiled. Fury shook their hands with a firm grip, loosening his red tie. "You're right, but I've never been wrong now have I?" Fury joked, and the three laughed. Steve looked around nervously, trying to find a way to get away from the conversation while he could. He had nothing against Fury, he actually liked him, but the blond knew Fury had a way of finding things out, and he didn't know just how much he knew.

 Steve spotted Bruce standing shyly in a corner, a drink in his hand, eyes locked on the ground. "I'll be back, Bruce is looking pretty lonely." he said as he began to back away. The other two nodded, and resumed their conversation. "Hey Banner." he muttered as he reached the shy man. "Hey Rogers. Enjoying yourself?" Bruce asked, perking up a bit. "I guess you could say that. I never really was one for winter." He gave a half smile, and the brunette returned it.

 "Why aren't you out there mingling?" Steve asked, knowing it was a stupid question. Everyone knew how Bruce was, how he never really liked talking to anyone. The man shrugged. "No one to really talk to but you guys, and you all seemed to be enjoying yourselves." Steve gave him a sympathetic look, but quickly corrected it. "Don't be that way Bruce, we all really like you." he told him, patting him softly on the back. Bruce grinned, and sipped at his drink. For some reason, Bruce always had the feeling that Cap hated him, he just kept it hidden.

 "So... You and Tony huh?"

 Steve immediately tensed, and glanced at Bruce, who now leaned on the counter casually. "I'm sorry?"

 "You know what I'm talking about Steve. You guys don't realize how easy you are to read."

 The blond swallowed hard, and sighed. "How much do you know?"

 "Nothing. I just kind of guessed." Bruce tried to hide his grin, and Steve looked at him. "You slick son of a gun." He laughed, and ran a hand through his hair. "Damn... You think I would have seen right through that one."

 "Maybe it's cause you're blond." Bruce joked, causing Steve to laugh harder.

 "I promise though, I won't tell anyone. I'm good with secrets."

 Steve gave him a nod of approval. "I trust you." "Steve! There you are!" Tony's voice entered the happy moment, and the two men looked to see him with a Brandy in his hand, and an overly happy look on his face. "Hey Brucie. You having fun?" Bruce rolled his eyes, and smiled. The man never ceased to amuse him. "Yeah, your boyfriend and I were just talking." Tony's smile fell from his face, and he opened his mouth to defend himself. "He knows Tony." Steve cut the man off before he could make a fool out of them. "What?" Tony looked at them astonished, and Bruce shrugged. "Lucky guess."

 Tony bit his lip, an uncomfortable feeling coming over him. “Tony, relax. I’m not gonna squeal on you,” Bruce said, placing a firm hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t want to do that to you. You and-” he paused to wave a hand at the blond. “Steve here obviously makes you very happy. And who am I to get in the way?” Tony’s lips curled into a smile, and he hugged his friend. “Thanks Bruce.”

 “You two go have fun, I’m going to try and talk to someone.” Bruce said, putting his drink down, and looking at the crowd. “Good luck buddy. See you back at the hotel.” Tony and Steve headed off in the opposite direction, Steve a few steps behind. They didn’t want to draw any unwanted attention. “Slow down a little would you?” Steve said through clenched teeth. He had finally caught up with each other at a secluded table, one that was out of sight. “Slow down? I thought I wasn’t going fast enough!” Tony replied, examining his drink. “You forget how long your legs are Cap.”

 Steve’s lips twitched; and he looked down at his hands. “I hate this.” He muttered to himself. “What?” Tony asked, focusing his attention on Steve. “This. I finally find the love of my life, and I don’t even get to hold his damn hand.” Tony pursed his lips, and placed his hand beneath the table, placing it on Steve's knee. The blond smiled, and placed one of his hands beneath the table as well.

 "See? We can still be lovers." Tony whispered, keeping a bored look on his face. “I know Tony, but I-" Steve began, but stopped when he heard the soft music beginning to play. A slow smile spread across his face. "You want to dance Mr. Stark?" he asked, releasing Tony's hand and beginning to stand. The brunette looked up in shock. "Do you think you can?" he asked, looking the soldier up and down.

 "I've been practicing. Anyone asks, we were just putting on a show." Steve didn't wait for Tony's reply; he simply grabbed the shorter man’s hand, and pulled him onto the dance floor. "You know this is a tango right?" Tony muttered as he and the man began to circle each other. "Yep." The violins began, and Steve placed a hand on Tony's shoulder, turning him so they now faced each other. Tony was surprised by the soldier's sudden grace, but he wasn't one to be out shone.

 Tony pulled Steve closed, and allowed the blond to begin the lead. "Let's see what you got Cap." he said, eyes full of passion. Steve led him backwards, and Tony lifted his leg to allow Steve to dip him. He did as prompted and lifted Tony back up only to spin them around. Neither noticed the dance floor clearing in order to make way for the dancing couple.

 "Alright, my turn." Tony whispered, switching positions so he now had control over Steve. He looked partly shocked, but allowed it to happen. Tony pushed Steve back a bit, giving him some space so that he could spin into Steve's arms. Steve gracefully caught him, and lifted him back up. They danced close once again, and their legs brushing together slightly aroused them both.

 "Damn, look at those two go." Clint said, turning away from the bar to watch the spectacle on the dance floor. "You would never guess that they hated each other by the way they look right now." Natasha turned and held her breath for a moment. She watched as the two lovers danced passionately, capturing everyone's attention.

 "Keep up Mr. Stark."

 Steve quickly spun Tony out, expecting to catch him off guard. He should have known better. Tony planted his feet firmly and pulled Steve towards him instead. Steve gasped and prepared to hit the floor, not expecting Tony to catch him. He pulled the super soldier back up, not missing a step. His eyes flashed with a playful look.  _Oh I will_.

  _Two can play at this game._  Steve thought as he twirled the shorter man, and then stopped him so he was now facing him. He extended his leg so that it fell behind Tony, and slid into it. The beat of the song picked up, and so did they. Their movements became one. No longer did their “rivalry” show, now, it was a tango. They moved in such a way that the audience gasped with each twirl, each graceful step. They had never seen such a display. The dancing couple was making love to the music, and using each other as simple bodies. The song ended, and Steve dropped Tony into a dip while falling to one knee.

 The audience cheered, and Steve and Tony looked up, panting for breath. They looked at each other, and began to laugh. Steve pulled Tony up, and the two took a bow. Clint and Natasha waved them over, and they made their way towards them. “Where did you learn to dance like that Cap?” Tony panted, still a bit exasperated from the display.

 “Natasha taught me; told me if I was gonna keep you I had to learn how to show you up every once in a while.” Steve said, lowering his voice as they reached the couple.

 “Damn guys! That was awesome!” Clint exclaimed as the two reached him and Natasha. They nodded thanks, still trying to catch their breath. “Let me buy you two a drink, on the house.” Clint offered, and headed in the direction of the bar. When he was out of ear shot, Natasha shoved both of the men hard. “Are you nuts? What the hell was that?” she growled, lowering her voice.  “Oh come on Natasha, it was a simple dance. It was all for show.” Steve said, shrugging as if it was no big deal.

 “All for show? Clint even noticed! What if anybody else had? What if someone catches on?” she hissed, fear rising within her. “No one’s going to catch on Natasha. Don’t you worry your pretty little head.” Tony teased, and Natasha looked as if she was about to murder him. “Here you two go. Two whiskeys on the rocks. And a vanilla vodka for my little lady.” Clint purred as he handed them their drinks. “Cheers, to a lovely night with friends.” Steve said, raising his glass. “Cheers!” the others said, and Steve and Tony downed their drinks in one gulp; Natasha hanging onto hers; she wasn't in the mood to drink at this point.

 “Ah, I’m off to dance, anyone want to join?” Tony asked, wiggling his eyebrows in Steve’s direction. “You go ahead. I need a bit of a break.” Steve said, waving his hand. Clint grabbed Natasha’s hand, and asked her for a dance. She nodded, placing her shot down, and the three headed for the dance floor.

 “Hello there.”

 Steve turned around to see a petite blond, wearing a low cut and extremely provocative red dress. Steve looked indifferently; he wasn’t into easy girls, or any girl at the moment. “My name is Christine,” She smiled, sticking her hand out towards him. He took it, and smiled. He may as well be polite. “I saw you on the dance floor, and I thought to myself, I just couldn’t let a man like that slip through my fingers.” Christine batted her eyes, touching Steve’s arm.

 Steve simply smiled, acting as if he cared. “Thank you, but you know; I’ve never been much of a dancer.” he said, flashing one of his heart melting smiles. “Oh don’t be so modest! You were amazing!” The woman giggled, twirling her hair. “I’m sorry; I never caught your name.”

 “You’re right. But I think you know it already, Mrs. Everhart.” Steve said nonchalantly.

 Christine almost choked on her champagne. “Excuse me?”

 “I’m not stupid; I know exactly who you are.” He smiled, and leaned in close enough so their faces were only inches apart. “And also, I’m not into blondes.” Steve straightened, gave her a small nod, and walked away, leaving Christine open mouthed and pissed.

 ~*~

 Steve stood outside in the cold air, rubbing his hands together. “Aw, you cold my little super soldier?” Tony teased, wrapping his arms around Steve’s torso. Steve laughed, and turned so he know faced the shorter man. His eyes shone with the street light, and falling snow flakes stuck themselves to his eye lashes. “I won’t be in a minute.” Steve muttered, leaning down and meeting Tony’s lips. The two kissed, and their bodies immediately ignited with an internal flame. Tony stood on his tip toes, trying to get better access to Steve’s hot lips. He pulled away and began to kiss Steve’s jaw, down his neck. He flicked his tongue across Steve’s sweet spot, causing him to utter a small giggle.

 “Not fair Tony,” Steve teased, nuzzling his face in Tony’s blazer. “You know you love it.” Tony teased back, breathing in Steve’s sweet, masculine scent. “Want to go inside yet?” asked Steve, hoping the answer would be a no. “One more minute. I like this.” Tony whispered. It was nice, the fact that they could simply stand there and just enjoy each other’s presence. Tony didn’t feel judged, or like Steve wanted anything from him. All he wanted was for Tony to be with him, just to be there.

 Steve pulled away from the hug for a short second, to place a short peck on Tony’s lips. “I think everyone is probably wondering where we are, don’t you?” he mumbled, locking eyes with his lover. “Yeah… But I don’t want to go in yet.” Tony playfully pouted, nuzzling Steve’s chest. “Come on boy.” Steve joked, pulling away from the hug and taking Tony’s hand. The two released their hands before walking back into the building.

 “Oh, my, God.” Christine gasped, not believing what she had just seen.  _Tony Stark and Steve Rogers… Are gay?_ This was it. This was her chance. No one was going to believe it. She pulled out her iPhone, but stopped. “No, I have to get more proof. Maybe I can use this to my advantage.” She sneered, and headed inside.

~*~

 “Merry Christmas Cap!” Tony said as he welcomed the super soldier into his home. The Malibu house had been decorated in the most beautiful way. “Pepper?” Steve asked as he waltzed in, gifts in hand. “Who else?” Tony chuckled, and patted his lover on the back. It was the best they could do considering all the guests. “Well, she did a lovely job.” Steve muttered as they walked into the living room. “Why thank you Steve. It’s nice to know  _someone_  appreciates my decorating.” Pepper teased as she greeted the blond. “I never said I didn’t appreciate it!” Tony laughed, pulling her into a kiss. Steve fought back the jealous feeling rising in him.

 “Hey Steve! Glad to see you made it okay!” Clint said, greeting him with a smile. “Everyone is around the tree; I’ll show you where to put your presents.” Steve nodded, and walked quickly with the smaller man to the living room. “Woah…” he gasped, and stopped short upon entering the living room. The tree was huge, and decorated with ornaments of all kinds; old ones, new ones, ones that lit up and ones that sparkled.  A small train wrapped around the bottom of the tree, and Steve smiled. It was like the one he used to have when he was a kid.

 “Hello American man! It is nice to see you could join us.” Thor laughed, wrapping the soldier in a hug. Clint and Natasha quickly stole the presents from Steve’s arms, before he could crush them. “Thor! What are you doing back so soon?” Steve asked, struggling to breathe.  “My father let me back for a day. I’m not staying, but he said the King of Asgard should spend his days as he pleases.” Thor grinned as he placed his friend back on solid ground.

  “Don’t break him Thor.” Jane laughed, patting the seat next to her. Thor joined her eagerly, causing her to bounce with the force. “So you’re Jane, it’s nice to finally meet you.” Steve greeted and offered her a hand. She took it with a smile. “Alright! All the guests are here, so why don’t we head into the dining room and enjoy ourselves a nice Christmas dinner?” Pepper suggested, Tony hanging on her waist. Steve swallowed hard, that jealous feeling rising in him once again. “Hell yeah! I’m starving!” Clint cheered as he headed into the dining room, Bruce and Natasha following after.  “I’ll be there in a sec. You all go ahead.” Steve mumbled, jerking his thumb in the direction of the bathroom. Everyone else nodded; Thor and Jane got up from the couch and followed the other couple into the dining room.

 Steve was left standing in the middle of the room, alone. He eyed the Christmas tree one more time, before heading towards the bathroom. He locked the door behind him, splashing some cool water on his face. “Relax Steve; you can make it through a simple dinner. Just,” He paused, thinking he heard footsteps.  “Just fake it.” He turned off the water, and dried his face with a towel.  He came out of the bathroom, and the smell of a Christmas ham wafted over to him.

 “Mm, smells just like mom’s.” Steve announced, walking into the dining room with a grin on his face. Tony sat at the head of the table, Pepper on his left, then Natasha, then Clint. Jane sat across from him, and Thor of course sat next to her. Bruce was seated next to the large God, and an empty seat by Tony was obviously Steve’s. He smiled, and headed to his seat. “I hope you’re hungry, I made a lot of food for all of us.” Pepper told him, looking in Thor’s direction.

 “You were smart. I could probably eat more than these four men combined!” He laughed, patting Bruce on the back. “Is that a challenge?” Clint asked, his eyes flickering with mischief. “Now boys, let’s keep it civil. You can settle your little challenge after dinner, if there’s any left overs left.” Natasha teased, kissing her fiancé on the cheek.

 “Well, what are we all waiting for?” Tony asked, about to dive his fork into the ham. “Wait! We need to say grace!” Pepper swatted Tony’s hand away, and the man groaned. “Really Pepper?” She shot him a look that needed no explanation. Everyone joined hands, and Pepper allowed Steve to do the honors. “Dear Lord, we thank you for these gifts were are about to receive. We thank you for our family and friends, and those we hold close to our hearts.” Steve gave a quick squeeze to Tony’s hand. “Thank you for allowing us to spend another day on this Earth, and allow us to spend a few more.”

 “Amen.”

 “Praise the universe!” Tony called out, and everyone laughed. “Alright, now who wants some ham, and who wants turkey?”

 “Are we talking about dinner or Tony?” Steve joked, and Natasha almost fell out of her chair laughing.

 The rest of the dinner went by smoothly. Steve felt as if he was part of a really big family, and he was grateful that he could spend his first Christmas awake with all his friends. Thor told his amazing stories of his adventures on Asgard. Clint and Natasha danced around the subject of Budapest, never revealing any real facts. Steve was able to speak about a few war memories, ones that didn’t involve Peggy or Bucky; everyone hanging on his words. Pepper, Natasha, and Jane all got along relatively well, not too good but not too bad either. After dinner was a desert fit for Thor. Pop tarts and coffee. There was of course apple pies and fondue for the others, causing Steve to chuckle to himself.  He avoided the topic of Howard though, not wanting to upset Tony.

  “Well, if everyone has had their fill, I think now would be a wonderful time to go into the living room and open gifts.” Jane suggested, eyeing Thor, who looked more pleased than ever. Everyone nodded in agreement, and moved themselves into the living room. “Who wants to go first?” Steve asked, kneeling down by the presents. “How about we do it by age? That’s how we always used to do it my house.” “That sounds fine to me. Looks like the big guy will be going last, you think you can wait that long?” Tony laughed, punching Thor playfully in the arm. “Let’s see if you  _make_ it long.” Thor taunted his tone serious but his expression full of good humor.

 “I guess that makes me first.” Jane said, reaching out for her gift. They had done secret Santa’s figuring it would be the best way to get everyone a gift while not spending too much. Jane got a pair of shoes, red and silver, to match Thor’s Asgardian outfit. Bruce got a pair of elastic pants, wide enough to fit the hulk. Natasha kept her gift hidden from the rest. Clint got standard S.H.I.E.L.D targets; Pepper got a long and elegant dress, an obvious gift from Natasha. Tony got a new pair of high tech goggles, ones that tinted when working with brighter lights. Thor received a cell phone. “I’m not sure if it’ll work in Asgard, Clint shrugged, “But it’s worth a shot.” Steve had convinced the other’s to allow him to go last.

 “Alright, last one’s for you Cap.” Tony teased, giving Steve a playful wink. Steve rolled his eyes and smiled.  He picked up his gift, a small gift wrapped box. Everyone watched in silence, curious as to what it could be. Steve held his breath, and swallowed hard. A small compass, one he knew by heart, sat in the green tissue paper. He lifted it out slowly and carefully, feeling tears come to his eyes. He pressed on the little clasp, and there she was.  _Peggy._

 “I thought this would really be the best thing to give you.” Tony muttered, watching the super soldier’s reaction. Steve looked up, a mix of pain and gratefulness showing on his face. “How’d you even find this?” Steve asked, running his thumb over the needle kept protected by glass. “It wasn’t easy, took some pretty deep looking, but, I have my ways.” Tony smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Thank you Tony. It’s really the best gift I could ever receive.” Steve said, closing the compass. He placed it in his pants pockets, and everyone went around hugging each other merry Christmas.

 The clock chimed eight, and everyone gathered around the fireplace to watch old Christmas movies. They started off with A Christmas Carol, the oldest version Tony could get a hold of. He and Steve sat close on the couch, not close enough to raise suspicion, but still close enough to where they could whisper playful remarks without disturbing the others. “Thanks again Tony.” Steve muttered, the credits beginning to roll. “Anytime Cap.” Tony whispered back, taking his hand for a short second. They smiled, but quickly let go as Pepper shifted herself against Tony's side. Steve cast a longing look at his love, and tried to turn his attention back to the movie.

____

Merry early Christmas to all of my wonderful readers! I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I promise, I'll try not to drag it out so long next time...Maybe.

But I just really quickly wanted to say thank you for the 2,762 reads! You are all s About a month had passed since Steve and Tony had begun their affair. They tried to hide it from the rest of the Avengers, besides Natasha of course. They knew they could trust her. But the others… They didn’t know how they would all handle it. Barton remained clueless, and Thor had left the night after. “Important business in Asgard,” was all he could tell them. Bruce was a little more difficult. With him and Tony always working in their lab, Steve found it hard to spend time with his new boyfriend. And as for Pepper, well, they were going to save her for last.

 “I don’t know if I can keep doing this Steve.” Tony whispered between passionate kisses. The two lovers had joined in Steve’s hotel room, considering it to be the safest place. Bruce was just about always in the lab, and Clint liked to surprise Tony with his little assassin tactics. No one really visited Steve, thinking that he was at the gym with his new toy.

 Steve pulled away, and looked at his lover. “What do you mean?” The blond asked, studying his face. “You know exactly what I mean. I can’t keep lying to Pepper. She… She deserves better than this.” Tony held his head in his hands, and sat back on the couch. Steve wrapped an arm around him, and Tony sighed heavily. “I love you Steve, I really do, but-“ “But you loved her first.” the soldier finished, feeling a sick feeling rise in his stomach. “I just don’t know what to do- I keep having nightmares, I feel so guilty.” Tony's voice broke, and a single tear tried to escape.

 “Tony, maybe we need to end this.” Steve choked out, a lump rising in his throat.

 “No, no Steve. I need you, but I need to tell her.”

 “When? I want to be there when the truth comes out.”

 Tony didn’t respond. He simply looked up, and stared into Steve’s blue eyes. And in them, Steve found the answer.  _Soon._

~*~

 “Tony? Steve?” Natasha called out into the empty hall, looking for the two lovers. She adjusted her blue dress, the tight fabric constricting her. “Where the hell are you two? Everyone is waiting!” she called out, louder this time. “We’re coming, we’re coming.” Tony muttered, a fussy Steve following behind him. “Steve, stop touching my damn hair.” he growled, causing the blond to smile. “You want to look good don’t you?” He tried to fix a strand that hung in the man’s beautiful face, but Tony swatted him away.

 “Yeah, I do.” he mumbled, and continued walking towards Natasha. She tried to hide the amused look on her face; even more so when Tony shot her the dirtiest look he could muster up. She looked at Steve, who gave her a soft smile, and shrugged his shoulders as if to say, W _hat am I going to do with him?_

 "Holy..." Tony gasped as he walked into the room, covered in white. The table clothes, the decorations, the people, it all looked as if they had entered some sort of wonderland. "Damn...They really went all out with it this year." Steve whispered, taking in the scenery. Natasha giggled; she was used to the entire decor, since she had been a member of S.H.I.E.L.D for so long. A slow song floated around in the background, tempting Steve to grab Tony's hand and bring him onto the dance floor. "I better go find Clint; he always loves to have a little too much fun at these parties. She gave the lovers a small wave, and headed into the crowd.

 "Well look at you two! Finally friends I see?" A deep voice boomed from behind them. They turned, and grinned. "Director Fury, you should know better to judge a scene from first sight." Tony's voice was light, and Steve smiled. Fury shook their hands with a firm grip, loosening his red tie. "You're right, but I've never been wrong now have I?" Fury joked, and the three laughed. Steve looked around nervously, trying to find a way to get away from the conversation while he could. He had nothing against Fury, he actually liked him, but the blond knew Fury had a way of finding things out, and he didn't know just how much he knew.

 Steve spotted Bruce standing shyly in a corner, a drink in his hand, eyes locked on the ground. "I'll be back, Bruce is looking pretty lonely." he said as he began to back away. The other two nodded, and resumed their conversation. "Hey Banner." he muttered as he reached the shy man. "Hey Rogers. Enjoying yourself?" Bruce asked, perking up a bit. "I guess you could say that. I never really was one for winter." He gave a half smile, and the brunette returned it.

 "Why aren't you out there mingling?" Steve asked, knowing it was a stupid question. Everyone knew how Bruce was, how he never really liked talking to anyone. The man shrugged. "No one to really talk to but you guys, and you all seemed to be enjoying yourselves." Steve gave him a sympathetic look, but quickly corrected it. "Don't be that way Bruce, we all really like you." he told him, patting him softly on the back. Bruce grinned, and sipped at his drink. For some reason, Bruce always had the feeling that Cap hated him, he just kept it hidden.

 "So... You and Tony huh?"

 Steve immediately tensed, and glanced at Bruce, who now leaned on the counter casually. "I'm sorry?"

 "You know what I'm talking about Steve. You guys don't realize how easy you are to read."

 The blond swallowed hard, and sighed. "How much do you know?"

 "Nothing. I just kind of guessed." Bruce tried to hide his grin, and Steve looked at him. "You slick son of a gun." He laughed, and ran a hand through his hair. "Damn... You think I would have seen right through that one."

 "Maybe it's cause you're blond." Bruce joked, causing Steve to laugh harder.

 "I promise though, I won't tell anyone. I'm good with secrets."

Steve gave him a nod of approval. "I trust you." "Steve! There you are!" Tony's voice entered the happy moment, and the two men looked to see him with a Brandy in his hand, and an overly happy look on his face. "Hey Brucie. You having fun?" Bruce rolled his eyes, and smiled. The man never ceased to amuse him. "Yeah, your boyfriend and I were just talking." Tony's smile fell from his face, and he opened his mouth to defend himself. "He knows Tony." Steve cut the man off before he could make a fool out of them. "What?" Tony looked at them astonished, and Bruce shrugged. "Lucky guess."

  Tony bit his lip, an uncomfortable feeling coming over him. “Tony, relax. I’m not gonna squeal on you,” Bruce said, placing a firm hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t want to do that to you. You and-” he paused to wave a hand at the blond. “Steve here obviously makes you very happy. And who am I to get in the way?” Tony’s lips curled into a smile, and he hugged his friend. “Thanks Bruce.”

 “You two go have fun, I’m going to try and talk to someone.” Bruce said, putting his drink down, and looking at the crowd. “Good luck buddy. See you back at the hotel.” Tony and Steve headed off in the opposite direction, Steve a few steps behind. They didn’t want to draw any unwanted attention. “Slow down a little would you?” Steve said through clenched teeth. He had finally caught up with each other at a secluded table, one that was out of sight. “Slow down? I thought I wasn’t going fast enough!” Tony replied, examining his drink. “You forget how long your legs are Cap.”

 Steve’s lips twitched; and he looked down at his hands. “I hate this.” He muttered to himself. “What?” Tony asked, focusing his attention on Steve. “This. I finally find the love of my life, and I don’t even get to hold his damn hand.” Tony pursed his lips, and placed his hand beneath the table, placing it on Steve's knee. The blond smiled, and placed one of his hands beneath the table as well.

 "See? We can still be lovers." Tony whispered, keeping a bored look on his face. “I know Tony, but I-" Steve began, but stopped when he heard the soft music beginning to play. A slow smile spread across his face. "You want to dance Mr. Stark?" he asked, releasing Tony's hand and beginning to stand. The brunette looked up in shock. "Do you think you can?" he asked, looking the soldier up and down.

 "I've been practicing. Anyone asks, we were just putting on a show." Steve didn't wait for Tony's reply; he simply grabbed the shorter man’s hand, and pulled him onto the dance floor. "You know this is a tango right?" Tony muttered as he and the man began to circle each other. "Yep." The violins began, and Steve placed a hand on Tony's shoulder, turning him so they now faced each other. Tony was surprised by the soldier's sudden grace, but he wasn't one to be out shone.

 Tony pulled Steve closed, and allowed the blond to begin the lead. "Let's see what you got Cap." he said, eyes full of passion. Steve led him backwards, and Tony lifted his leg to allow Steve to dip him. He did as prompted and lifted Tony back up only to spin them around. Neither noticed the dance floor clearing in order to make way for the dancing couple.

 "Alright, my turn." Tony whispered, switching positions so he now had control over Steve. He looked partly shocked, but allowed it to happen. Tony pushed Steve back a bit, giving him some space so that he could spin into Steve's arms. Steve gracefully caught him, and lifted him back up. They danced close once again, and their legs brushing together slightly aroused them both.

 "Damn, look at those two go." Clint said, turning away from the bar to watch the spectacle on the dance floor. "You would never guess that they hated each other by the way they look right now." Natasha turned and held her breath for a moment. She watched as the two lovers danced passionately, capturing everyone's attention.

 "Keep up Mr. Stark."

 Steve quickly spun Tony out, expecting to catch him off guard. He should have known better. Tony planted his feet firmly and pulled Steve towards him instead. Steve gasped and prepared to hit the floor, not expecting Tony to catch him. He pulled the super soldier back up, not missing a step. His eyes flashed with a playful look.  _Oh I will_.

  _Two can play at this game._  Steve thought as he twirled the shorter man, and then stopped him so he was now facing him. He extended his leg so that it fell behind Tony, and slid into it. The beat of the song picked up, and so did they. There movements became one. No longer did there “rivalry” show, now, it was a tango. They moved in such a way that the audience gasped with each twirl, each graceful step. They had never seen such a display. The dancing couple was making love to the music, and using each other as simple bodies. The song ended, and Steve dropped Tony into a dip while falling to one knee.

 The audience cheered, and Steve and Tony looked up, panting for breath. They looked at each other, and began to laugh. Steve pulled Tony up, and the two took a bow. Clint and Natasha waved them over, and they made their way towards them. “Where did you learn to dance like that Cap?” Tony panted, still a bit exasperated from the display.

 “Natasha taught me; told me if I was gonna keep you I had to learn how to show you up every once in a while.” Steve said, lowering his voice as they reached the couple.

 “Damn guys! That was awesome!” Clint exclaimed as the two reached him and Natasha. They nodded thanks, still trying to catch their breath. “Let me buy you two a drink, on the house.” Clint offered, and headed in the direction of the bar. When he was out of ear shot, Natasha shoved both of the men hard. “Are you nuts? What the hell was that?” she growled, lowering her voice.  “Oh come on Natasha, it was a simple dance. It was all for show.” Steve said, shrugging as if it was no big deal.

 “All for show? Clint even noticed! What if anybody else had? What if someone catches on?” she hissed, fear rising within her. “No one’s going to catch on Natasha. Don’t you worry your pretty little head.” Tony teased, and Natasha looked as if she was about to murder him. “Here you two go. Two whiskeys on the rocks. And a vanilla vodka for my little lady.” Clint purred as he handed them their drinks. “Cheers, to a lovely night with friends.” Steve said, raising his glass. “Cheers!” the others said, and Steve and Tony downed their drinks in one gulp; Natasha hanging onto hers; she wasn't in the mood to drink at this point.

 “Ah, I’m off to dance, anyone want to join?” Tony asked, wiggling his eyebrows in Steve’s direction. “You go ahead. I need a bit of a break.” Steve said, waving his hand. Clint grabbed Natasha’s hand, and asked her for a dance. She nodded, placing her shot down, and the three headed for the dance floor.

 “Hello there.”

 Steve turned around to see a petite blond, wearing a low cut and extremely provocative red dress. Steve looked indifferently; he wasn’t into easy girls, or any girl at the moment. “My name is Christine,” She smiled, sticking her hand out towards him. He took it, and smiled. He may as well be polite. “I saw you on the dance floor, and I thought to myself, I just couldn’t let a man like that slip through my fingers.” Christine batted her eyes, touching Steve’s arm.

 Steve simply smiled, acting as if he cared. “Thank you, but you know; I’ve never been much of a dancer.” he said, flashing one of his heart melting smiles. “Oh don’t be so modest! You were amazing!” The woman giggled, twirling her hair. “I’m sorry; I never caught your name.”

 “You’re right. But I think you know it already, Mrs. Everhart.” Steve said nonchalantly.

 Christine almost choked on her champagne. “Excuse me?”

 “I’m not stupid; I know exactly who you are.” He smiled, and leaned in close enough so their faces were only inches apart. “And also, I’m not into blondes.” Steve straightened, gave her a small nod, and walked away, leaving Christine open mouthed and pissed.

 ~*~

 Steve stood outside in the cold air, rubbing his hands together. “Aw, you cold my little super soldier?” Tony teased, wrapping his arms around Steve’s torso. Steve laughed, and turned so he know faced the shorter man. His eyes shone with the street light, and falling snow flakes stuck themselves to his eye lashes. “I won’t be in a minute.” Steve muttered, leaning down and meeting Tony’s lips. The two kissed, and their bodies immediately ignited with an internal flame. Tony stood on his tip toes, trying to get better access to Steve’s hot lips. He pulled away and began to kiss Steve’s jaw, down his neck. He flicked his tongue across Steve’s sweet spot, causing him to utter a small giggle.

 “Not fair Tony,” Steve teased, nuzzling his face in Tony’s blazer. “You know you love it.” Tony teased back, breathing in Steve’s sweet, masculine scent. “Want to go inside yet?” asked Steve, hoping the answer would be a no. “One more minute. I like this.” Tony whispered. It was nice, the fact that they could simply stand there and just enjoy each other’s presence. Tony didn’t feel judged, or like Steve wanted anything from him. All he wanted was for Tony to be with him, just to be there.

 Steve pulled away from the hug for a short second, to place a short peck on Tony’s lips. “I think everyone is probably wondering where we are, don’t you?” he mumbled, locking eyes with his lover. “Yeah… But I don’t want to go in yet.” Tony playfully pouted, nuzzling Steve’s chest. “Come on boy.” Steve joked, pulling away from the hug and taking Tony’s hand. The two released their hands before walking back into the building.

 “Oh, my, God.” Christine gasped, not believing what she had just seen.  _Tony Stark and Steve Rogers… Are gay?_ This was it. This was her chance. No one was going to believe it. She pulled out her iPhone, but stopped. “No, I have to get more proof. Maybe I can use this to my advantage.” She sneered, and headed inside.

~*~

 “Merry Christmas Cap!” Tony said as he welcomed the super soldier into his home. The Malibu house had been decorated in the most beautiful way. “Pepper?” Steve asked as he waltzed in, gifts in hand. “Who else?” Tony chuckled, and patted his lover on the back. It was the best they could do considering all the guests. “Well, she did a lovely job.” Steve muttered as they walked into the living room. “Why thank you Steve. It’s nice to know  _someone_  appreciates my decorating.” Pepper teased as she greeted the blond. “I never said I didn’t appreciate it!” Tony laughed, pulling her into a kiss. Steve fought back the jealous feeling rising in him.

 “Hey Steve! Glad to see you made it okay!” Clint said, greeting him with a smile. “Everyone is around the tree; I’ll show you where to put your presents.” Steve nodded, and walked quickly with the smaller man to the living room. “Woah…” he gasped, and stopped short upon entering the living room. The tree was huge, and decorated with ornaments of all kinds; old ones, new ones, ones that lit up and ones that sparkled.  A small train wrapped around the bottom of the tree, and Steve smiled. It was like the one he used to have when he was a kid.

 “Hello American man! It is nice to see you could join us.” Thor laughed, wrapping the soldier in a hug. Clint and Natasha quickly stole the presents from Steve’s arms, before he could crush them. “Thor! What are you doing back so soon?” Steve asked, struggling to breathe.  “My father let me back for a day. I’m not staying, but he said the King of Asgard should spend his days as he pleases.” Thor grinned as he placed his friend back on solid ground.

  “Don’t break him Thor.” Jane laughed, patting the seat next to her. Thor joined her eagerly, causing her to bounce with the force. “So you’re Jane, it’s nice to finally meet you.” Steve greeted and offered her a hand. She took it with a smile. “Alright! All the guests are here, so why don’t we head into the dining room and enjoy ourselves a nice Christmas dinner?” Pepper suggested, Tony hanging on her waist. Steve swallowed hard, that jealous feeling rising in him once again. “Hell yeah! I’m starving!” Clint cheered as he headed into the dining room, Bruce and Natasha following after.  “I’ll be there in a sec. You all go ahead.” Steve mumbled, jerking his thumb in the direction of the bathroom. Everyone else nodded; Thor and Jane got up from the couch and followed the other couple into the dining room.

 Steve was left standing in the middle of the room, alone. He eyed the Christmas tree one more time, before heading towards the bathroom. He locked the door behind him, splashing some cool water on his face. “Relax Steve; you can make it through a simple dinner. Just,” He paused, thinking he heard footsteps.  “Just fake it.” He turned off the water, and dried his face with a towel.  He came out of the bathroom, and the smell of a Christmas ham wafted over to him.

 “Mm, smells just like mom’s.” Steve announced, walking into the dining room with a grin on his face. Tony sat at the head of the table, Pepper on his left, then Natasha, then Clint. Jane sat across from him, and Thor of course sat next to her. Bruce was seated next to the large God, and an empty seat by Tony was obviously Steve’s. He smiled, and headed to his seat. “I hope you’re hungry, I made a lot of food for all of us.” Pepper told him, looking in Thor’s direction.

 “You were smart. I could probably eat more than these four men combined!” He laughed, patting Bruce on the back. “Is that a challenge?” Clint asked, his eyes flickering with mischief. “Now boys, let’s keep it civil. You can settle your little challenge after dinner, if there’s any left overs left.” Natasha teased, kissing her fiancé on the cheek.

 “Well, what are we all waiting for?” Tony asked, about to dive his fork into the ham. “Wait! We need to say grace!” Pepper swatted Tony’s hand away, and the man groaned. “Really Pepper?” She shot him a look that needed no explanation. Everyone joined hands, and Pepper allowed Steve to do the honors. “Dear Lord, we thank you for these gifts were are about to receive. We thank you for our family and friends, and those we hold close to our hearts.” Steve gave a quick squeeze to Tony’s hand. “Thank you for allowing us to spend another day on this Earth, and allow us to spend a few more.”

 “Amen.”

 “Praise the universe!” Tony called out, and everyone laughed. “Alright, now who wants some ham, and who wants turkey?”

 “Are we talking about dinner or Tony?” Steve joked, and Natasha almost fell out of her chair laughing.

 The rest of the dinner went by smoothly. Steve felt as if he was part of a really big family, and he was grateful that he could spend his first Christmas awake with all his friends. Thor told his amazing stories of his adventures on Asgard. Clint and Natasha danced around the subject of Budapest, never revealing any real facts. Steve was able to speak about a few war memories, ones that didn’t involve Peggy or Bucky; everyone hanging on his words. Pepper, Natasha, and Jane all got along relatively well, not too good but not too bad either. After dinner was a desert fit for Thor. Pop tarts and coffee. There was of course apple pies and fondue for the others, causing Steve to chuckle to himself.  He avoided the topic of Howard though, not wanting to upset Tony.

  “Well, if everyone has had their fill, I think now would be a wonderful time to go into the living room and open gifts.” Jane suggested, eyeing Thor, who looked more pleased than ever. Everyone nodded in agreement, and moved themselves into the living room. “Who wants to go first?” Steve asked, kneeling down by the presents. “How about we do it by age? That’s how we always used to do it my house.” “That sounds fine to me. Looks like the big guy will be going last, you think you can wait that long?” Tony laughed, punching Thor playfully in the arm. “Let’s see if you  _make_ it long.” Thor taunted his tone serious but his expression full of good humor.

 “I guess that makes me first.” Jane said, reaching out for her gift. They had done secret Santa’s figuring it would be the best way to get everyone a gift while not spending too much. Jane got a pair of shoes, red and silver, to match Thor’s Asgardian outfit. Bruce got a pair of elastic pants, wide enough to fit the hulk. Natasha kept her gift hidden from the rest. Clint got standard S.H.I.E.L.D targets; Pepper got a long and elegant dress, an obvious gift from Natasha. Tony got a new pair of high tech goggles, ones that tinted when working with brighter lights. Thor received a cell phone. “I’m not sure if it’ll work in Asgard, Clint shrugged, “But it’s worth a shot.” Steve had convinced the other’s to allow him to go last.

 “Alright, last one’s for you Cap.” Tony teased, giving Steve a playful wink. Steve rolled his eyes and smiled.  He picked up his gift, a small gift wrapped box. Everyone watched in silence, curious as to what it could be. Steve held his breath, and swallowed hard. A small compass, one he knew by heart, sat in the green tissue paper. He lifted it out slowly and carefully, feeling tears come to his eyes. He pressed on the little clasp, and there she was.  _Peggy._

 “I thought this would really be the best thing to give you.” Tony muttered, watching the super soldier’s reaction. Steve looked up, a mix of pain and gratefulness showing on his face. “How’d you even find this?” Steve asked, running his thumb over the needle kept protected by glass. “It wasn’t easy, took some pretty deep looking, but, I have my ways.” Tony smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Thank you Tony. It’s really the best gift I could ever receive.” Steve said, closing the compass. He placed it in his pants pockets, and everyone went around hugging each other merry Christmas.

 The clock chimed eight, and everyone gathered around the fireplace to watch old Christmas movies. They started off with A Christmas Carol, the oldest version Tony could get a hold of. He and Steve sat close on the couch, not close enough to raise suspicion, but still close enough to where they could whisper playful remarks without disturbing the others. “Thanks again Tony.” Steve muttered, the credits beginning to roll. “Anytime Cap.” Tony whispered back, taking his hand for a short second. They smiled, but quickly let go as Pepper shifted herself against Tony's side. Steve cast a longing look at his love, and tried to turn his attention back to the movie.


	12. Chapter 12

 "Aw come on Steve!" Tony whined, pulling on his arm. "It's a once a year carnival, and I've always wanted to go with someone special." "No Tony, I don't feel like it. Now leave me alone." Steve shot his lover a dirty look as he pulled the covers over his head. "But Steve! It'll be fun! We can ride the Ferris wheel and get cotton candy, and you can win me stuff." Tony suggested, crawling onto the blond and attempting to pull the covers down away from his face. "I just don't want to alright?" Steve snapped, and immediately regretted it. He felt Tony's weight lift off of him, and heard the bedroom door open and slam shut.

 Steve sighed, and lay back in the bed, pushing the sheet away from his face. He looked out the bedroom window of Stark Towers; now renamed Avengers Tower after it had been fully remodeled. A light snow had begun to fall, sticking to the glass. Today wasn't exactly the best day for Steve to be out. He wanted to just stay in bed, and not deal with the world outside. Not deal with the fact that today was the day he had lost his best friend.

  _I'm sorry Tony, but I just can't. Not today_.

 "Fine, he wants to be alone? I'll leave him alone." Tony growled as he headed back up to his room. He hopped onto the elevator, where Clint and Natasha were having a small argument. "It's not time to tell them!" she whispered quickly, not noticing the doors had opened. "They're going to find out sooner or-" Clint stopped mid-sentence as Tony hopped onto the car. "Hey Stark, what's up?" he asked, pulling Natasha close.

 "Nothing." was all the man said, before jamming a finger on his button. The elevator doors shut, and an awkward silence passed over. The couple quickly got off on their floor, continuing with the argument in a hushed tone. Tony tapped his foot impatiently as the car went to his floor, finally stopping. He ran off, in desperate need of a drink. He and Steve haven't fought like that in forever. It scared him, and he didn't want to deal with his fear right now.

 He entered his room, grabbing a glass and his favorite bottle of scotch, pouring himself a glass and settling into the couch, flipping through channels, not paying attention to really what was on the screen. He tried to keep his mind off Steve, but he found it difficult. He wondered why he was so upset, and why he had snapped at Tony like that. He pushed it to the back of his mind, drowning his feelings with the scotch.

 He reached a quarter ways through the bottle, and he wasn't feeling any better. He groaned, and lifted himself up. His better half finally won, and he decided to go see what was up with Steve. He quickly dressed, throwing on a long sleeve that Steve had gotten him, and some jeans. The tile of the hallway was cold beneath his feet as he walked towards the elevators. He hesitated for a moment, finger almost touching the down button. What if he doesn't want to talk to me? Tony felt his hand lower a bit. Maybe I should just leave him alone for now... He began to walk away, but the aching feeling in him told him that Steve was upset about something, and he might just want to talk about it. Tony turned around, pressing the call button, and going to Steve's floor.

 He arrived at the floor, and headed to Steve's door. Tony knocked, and the door opened by itself. Confused, he stepped in. "Steve?" Tony called out into the empty room. It looked like the place hadn't been touched, everything neatly put in its place. "JARVIS, where's Cap?" he asked, looking in the bedroom and finding the bed neatly made. "He said he was going out for a walk, although in this weather I can't imagine where he would be going." The AI responded. Tony bit his lip. "I'm going to find him." he said, running back up to his room to grab his things and headed out after the blond.

~*~

 "Aren't you cold?" Tony's soft voice broke Steve's thoughts, and he looked up from where he sat on the bench to meet his dark eyes. "Not really." he lied. He was, he was only wearing a sweater and some jeans with boots. "Don't lie to your soldiers Captain, you should know better." Tony teased, sitting next to him as he brushed snowflakes out of his own hair. Steve's lips twitched at a smile, and he looked out over the park.

 "So do you want to tell me what's wrong, or do I have to kiss it out of you?" Tony asked, placing a gentle hand on Steve's shoulder. The super soldier didn't laugh. His face set into a hard expression; he wasn't in the mood for Tony's jokes. "Come on, you know you can tell me anything, I won't be upset, I'm here to listen." Tony said quietly, shifting closer so that he could hug the larger man's waist. Steve wrapped an arm around Tony. "It's, just personal stuff. Nothing to do with you," Steve muttered, and Tony looked up at him. "Then what does it have to do with?" he asked, wiping a tear off his lover's face.

 Steve bit his lip, tilting his head back. Snowflakes caught on his lashes, blurring his vision along with the tears. "I can't talk about it, it's too painful." he whispered, blinking back more tears. Tony nodded knowingly. "Okay, okay, I understand, you don't have to." he held the blond tightly, letting him have his moment.

 He knew how much Steve hated people seeing him cry, seeing how weak he was on the inside. He was Captain America, super soldier, the first avenger. He was supposed to be invincible, and the thought of someone seeing him cry really scared him. It was a male pride thing. So they simply sat there, Steve holding back tears, and Tony holding him, not saying a word.

~*~

 "There you two are! What were you doing? It's a freaking blizzard out there!" Natasha exclaimed as the two men walked back in the tower, covered head to toe in snow, noses running. "Sorry Tash, went for a bit of a walk." Steve explained, and Natasha looked him over, sighing. "Just come inside before you catch pneumonia. Lunch is ready, since you already missed breakfast." she muttered, walking away, and back towards the kitchen.

 "Come on Cap, I'm starved." Tony said as he removed his coat and boots. Steve nodded, doing the same. They walked into the large dining area to see the other avengers gathered around the table, eating. "Hey, Tony! I got great news," Bruce said excitedly, wiping crumbs off his face. Tony and Steve sat and began to load their plates with food as Bruce told them the news. "We got invited as guests of honor to attend a special technology convention dinner party! Guests, of, honor." he tapped his finger on the table with each word, and Tony nearly dropped his plate. "Are you serious? That's great!" Tony had been a guest of honor to quite a few things, but he knew how much this meant to Bruce.

 "We're welcome to bring guests, so if you wanted to..." the quiet man hinted and Tony nodded to show he understood. He would ask Steve later, after what happened that morning; he knew the blond wasn't up for questions. Steve was quiet for most of the meal, and finally Tony couldn't take it anymore. He leaned in to whisper in Steve's ear, muttering low so no one else heard. "What's wrong?" Steve simply pulled away, and gave Tony a dirty look. "I told you I didn't want to talk about it, now would you please drop it?" he hissed. Tony lips turned up in a snarl. "Well it's pretty hard to do that when you look like you just got his by a train!" Steve shoved the table back so hard drinks spilled onto the table top. He stormed out, and Clint went to get up to see what the hell was wrong, but Natasha stopped him.

 Tony got up, giving everyone at the table an apologetic look before going to chase after Steve. "What the hell was that? Why are you acting like this?" Tony asked as he reached him, placing a hand on his lover's arm. The hand was quickly retracted when Steve turned around, seething. "Do I really have to say it again? I don't want to talk about it!" he growled. "I just want to be left alone today, now if you could just for once think about someone besides yourself," he leaned down so his face was only a hair away from Tony's. "Maybe I would feel a little worse about wanting to break up with you right now." He stood straight, and turned away. Tony was hurt. 

 "So what, we have one little fight and suddenly that's it? You want out?" he laughed haughtily. "That's so like you to just brush your problems off like that!" he yelled. "I have done nothing but dealt with my problems, don't you dare try to tell me I haven't!" Steve yelled back, towering over Tony. "I never wanted you to be a problem, but you seem to be making yourself one." 

 "Oh so suddenly it's my fault that you're in a pissy mood?" Tony glared at the larger man. "We're a team now Cap, we're supposed to care about each other! Watch over each other and make sure to keep each other safe. You knew that when you took on the role of leader." 

 "I never wanted to be the leader! I never asked for any of this! I never asked to be responsible for everyone, to make sure everyone would get home safe and sound because I knew it wouldn't have happened! I knew that I wouldn't have been able to protect everyone!" Steve felt his voice breaking; he was saying too much. 

 "So what are you saying? You want to leave us? You want to just disappear and never come back? Haven't you done that already?" Tony clamped a hand over his mouth after he realized what he said.  His eyes got big, and he opened his mouth to apologize, but Steve's fist beat him to it. It was a quick punch to the jaw, enough to cause the smaller man to fly into the wall, hurt turning into frustration and anger. Steve stayed where he was, blinking back his own tears. He couldn't believe Tony would really say that to him, even if he wasn't aware of what today was, that was completely uncalled for. Tony wiped blood out of the corner of his mouth. 

 "Okay, I see how it is." he laughed, a tear sliding down his cheek. He smiled, broken, before going at Steve. The blond was caught off guard, and Tony's fist hit him hard in the gut. He doubled over from the sudden blow, and another hit was received at the jaw. He fell against the wall when Tony came at him again. Steve was prepared, he stood and quickly tackled the smaller man, pinning him to the ground. "You're a selfish bastard! You only care about yourself, you may say that you care about everyone else, but let's face it. You don't!" Steve growled, eyes full of fire and tears; Tony was thrashing below him, trying to get the blond off of him. 

 "Steve let go of him!" Bruce yelled, and Steve was tackled off of Tony, who had to be held back by Clint to avoid him going after Steve once more. "Get him up to his room!" Natasha ordered, and Bruce nodded. He had to wrap his arms around Steve's waist and arms, which wasn't easy for someone who was as small as he was. Steve kept screaming at Tony, words incoherent over his loud sobs that he tried so hard to hold back. Tony was yelling back, telling Steve to pack his shit up, he was gone. He wouldn't be allowed in the tower again. 

 Natasha gave him a quick slap across the face as Steve and Bruce got on the elevator. "Listen to me! You need to relax!" she said, voice demanding as Tony shut up. "Steve isn't alright today; today is Bucky's death day, and he's upset about it! That's why he didn't want to talk about it, and that's why he's been acting the way he has!" she explained, and Tony sank to his knees as her words set in.

 "Oh my God... I'm the worst person on the planet..." he muttered, and Clint let go, placing a hand on Tony's shoulder instead. "I said all those things to him, God he probably hates me right now!" He shrugged off Clint's hand, and stood. "I'll be in the lab." he muttered, taking the stairs, and letting his tears finally fall.

 Tony stayed locked away in his lab for most of the day, until JARVIS notified him that dinner was ready. His stomach growled, and he decided to grab something and just bring it back downstairs. He stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, locking eyes with Steve. The blond kept a cool expression. "Mr. Stark," he snarled, before turning away and finishing setting up his plate. "Captain." Tony said, matching the man's tone, and retrieving a plate for his own food. Steve quickly finished putting his food on his plate before going back into his room. He couldn't be around Tony right then, it hurt him far too much.

 Tony bit his lip as Steve left, and did the same for his plate before running downstairs to the lab. He only picked at his meal, his appetite was gone, and he just wanted to apologize to Steve so badly. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and half of him hoped that it was Steve calling to tell him to come upstairs. Only it wasn't Steve. It was someone who knew how to break him with two simple words.  _I know._


	13. Chapter 13

 The words were clear as day.  _I know_. Tony quickly pocketed his phone, and began to run upstairs. He didn't even bother to try the elevators, this was an emergency. He needed to find Steve, and fast. The man was out of breath by the time he reached the sixth floor, and he didn't bother knocking. He didn't have to. "Steve?" Tony called out, looking around the apartment. The door had been wide open, that wasn't a good sign. "Steve? Where the hell are you?"

 "He left, Stark." Natasha said bitterly. Tony turned around, seeing the woman standing in the doorway. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “He what?" "He left. You told him to get out, so he did." she snapped, eyes full of hatred. "You've ruined everything." Natasha turned, and went to leave. "Oh, and he wanted me to give this to you." she said coldly, dropping the envelope to the floor. It fell harder than an envelope should; something was inside.

 Tony walked to the door, watching as Natasha got onto an elevator, tears in her eyes. He picked up the envelope, labeled in cursive, Mr. Anthony Stark. He tore it open, and balled his hands into a fist. Steve's key was inside the envelope. He was gone for good. "Good." Tony whispered, anger rising within him. He walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

 He pulled out his phone, dialing up the number. A young woman's voice answered, sexy and expecting. "Hello Tony, I suspect you got my message? Or were you just looking for another good time?" Christine asked, smirking. "Shut up bitch. I thought I should let you know that there isn't anything for you to know anymore. Whatever you saw is over now." Tony growled. "Ooh Tony, you should know better than to speak to a woman like that." she said, keeping her voice light. "And may I ask what you mean?"

 "It's over between us, there's nothing for you to write your little story on, now leave me and Steve alone." Tony answered, wiping away his tears. "Oh, but that doesn't mean the thing you speak of never happened. I wonder what everyone would think when they found out that Anthony Stark had a passionate love affair with Steve Rogers?" Her voice went from light to threatening, and Tony tried to keep himself under control.

 "And what would it do to Pepper?"

 "Don't you dare try to bring her into this." Tony growled between clenched teeth. "Why shouldn't I? You're her boyfriend after all; she has the right to know the truth." Christine taunted. "What the hell do you want Christine?" the brunette asked, leaning up against the wall, defeated. "Ooh, and they say you can't take the fight out of the kid." she laughed, and Tony clenched his fist. "Let me think about it, if I can get something good out of this, I want it to be special." she giggled again before hanging up.

 Tony got up. He needed to find Steve, and explain everything. "JARVIS, can you get me a reading on where Cap is?" The man asked as he began to walk towards the elevator. "I'm afraid not sir." The AI said. "Guess I'm going on a wild goose chase then." the brunette muttered under his breath, and clicked the lobby button. "I'll find him."

 ~*~

 Steve stood outside the cafe, eyes darting around, foot tapping with nervousness. "Hello Captain." An icy voice said, and Steve's eyes fell upon Christine Everhart. "I'm glad you took my offer to meet me." She smiled, and Steve snorted as he looked away. "Of course." he muttered, and got the door to the cafe for her.

 "Even when his reputation is in danger the man is still a gentleman." Christine noticed, walking in. "It's not my reputation I'm worried about." Steve muttered, and the woman saw her opening. "So you're not worried about everyone knowing that the great Captain America is gay?" She lowered her voice as they sat at a table.

 Steve kept a cool expression. "I don't think that subject is really one for such an open area, do you?" The soldier saw right through her little trick. Christine's lips set into a pout as she leaned back in her chair. "Well then, why don't we talk about what we're both doing here." she said, trying to regain control of the situation. "We're here because you called me and told me you would like to speak to me over a cup of coffee. When I politely declined, you told me that if I didn't you would tell the whole country about the kiss you witnessed between Tony and myself." He leaned over the table glaring at her. "Which, may I just point out, you have no proof of."

 Christine smirked, and pulled a manila folder out of her purse. She placed it on the table and slid it to Steve. He looked at it, and opened it. Photos, quite a few of them, were contained in it. All of Tony and Steve, some where they were holding hands, others of them sneaking a quick kiss. "Have you been stalking us?" Steve questioned, flipping through the photos.

 "Investigating is a better word for it." Christine said confidently. "You can keep those, I've got plenty." Steve placed the photos back in the folder. "What do you want Christine?" he muttered. "Hm..." she tapped her finger to her chin. "I want you Captain."

 Steve looked up at her. "Excuse me?" "You heard me quite well. I want you. And if you don't accept my offer, these photos get leaked." Christine threatened, and Steve stiffened.  _Tony'll be ruined if these photos get out..._ He sighed. "Fine. I'll do it." he muttered, closing his eyes. "Great. I'll see you later then." She smiled, and walked out alone. Steve's phone buzzed, and he pulled it out to see who it was.

  _We need to talk. -TS_

 Steve texted him where he was.

 Tony showed up about ten minutes later, and sighed when he spotted Steve. "Hi." he muttered. Steve motioned for him to sit. Tony sat across from him, looking curiously at the manila folder. "What's-" He started, but Steve cut him off. "We're through Stark." Tony looked up. "W-what?" "We're through. It's best for everyone if we just pretend like none of this ever happened." Steve stated, avoiding Tony's eyes.

 "Wait, Steve, if this is about what I said earlier, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it, I love having you in the tower, I love you..." His voice dropped to a whisper with in the last words, and the blond felt tears trying to escape. "I'm sorry too, I'm sorry for wasting your time with this stupid little dream we had, thinking that we could be something more." Tony thought he was going to cry. "Steve..."

 The blond looked at him, a broken smile on his lips. "I hope everything works out for you and Pepper." Steve stood, picking up the folder. "It was nice while it lasted." And with that, he turned around, and walked out of the cafe. Tony was left alone. He had expected it, but... He thought he would be the one to do it...

 He ran a hand over his face, trying to hold back tears. His phone rang, and he answered without seeing who it was. "Hey handsome, you think you're up for dinner tonight? I'm coming back to New York for a few days, and figured we could celebrate." Pepper offered happily. "Hey, yeah. Sounds great. I'll talk to you later Pep." Tony said, hiding the shaking in his voice.

 "Alright, love you Tony!"

 "You too Pepper." He hung up without saying goodbye, and ran out to his car; he needed to get away for a little bit. He didn't want to think about how Steve wouldn't be sleeping beside him tonight, or any night. Tony got into his car, pulling out into traffic without looking and almost hitting a cab driver. He drove to the tower, deciding some flight practice wouldn't be such a bad idea.

~*~

 "Mmm, are you sure you don't want a bite Tony? It might make you feel better." Pepper offered the man a bite of her vanilla and chocolate desert, holding it out to him on her fork. Tony shook his head. "It's your cake, enjoy it." he told her, giving her a half smile. "So you want to tell me what you're really thinking about?" she asked, wiping her face with a napkin. 

 "Steve and I got into a fight earlier, nothing too big." 

 "You and Steve always get into fights, why is this one bothering you so much?" Pepper was a bit worried, Tony looked tired, broken. "It's nothing. Just said some crap I didn't mean, feeling guilty." he sighed. "Not in the mood to talk about it." Pepper nodded, understanding. "Okay. I get it." She reached a hand across the table, taking Tony's and lacing their fingers. "We can talk about something else. Anything you want." 

 Tony gave her a small smile. "Well how was your trip?" he asked, resisting the urge to pull away. "It was fine, first class paid by a very loving boyfriend." she giggled. "Only the best for you." He chuckled, and she pecked his lips.

"You knew they were going to be here." Steve muttered, sipping at his water. "Pure coincidence darling." Christine smirked. Steve noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He glanced over to see Tony and Pepper holding hands.  _Good to see he and Pepper are doing well._ He turned his attention back to Christine. "Why do you want me? Of all people?" he questioned. "Good question. I guess because you were a challenge, something I haven’t tried yet." She narrowed her eyes and smiled "Someone who can hit Tony where it hurts."

 Steve saw Tony wave down a waiter, and gave him the check. Christine noticed as well. She leaned in, and whispered in Steve's ear, "Kiss me." "No!" Steve whispered harshly. "Kiss me or I release them." she hissed. He saw Pepper and Tony getting closer. He turned his face to Christine's, and put a hand on her neck as he kissed her.

 He held the kiss as the other couple walked by, making it seem as real as possible.  _I'm sorry Tony. But I'm doing this for you._

 "Was that-?" 

 "Steve and Christine? Yes." Tony growled as he and Pepper left the restaurant. "What the hell is he doing with her? Doesn't he know how dangerous she is, what she did?" She shook her head in utter disgust. "I thought better of him than that." "So did I." Tony muttered, before he turned to face her. "Hey, let's not let it ruin our night. What do you say we go home and do some catching up?"

 Pepper bit her lip, and kissed her boyfriend. "Sounds like a plan." she muttered, and they headed back to Tony's car.

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this is literally my favorite chapter. This and another one, I think the one after it. Anyways I'm being irrelevant later.

 "We need you to come in Stark, Romanoff is currently going off duty, and we'll need all the help we can get on this job." Fury's voice was stern, he obviously wasn't going to take no for an answer. He was finally calling all the Avengers in, and revealing his big plan that he had been hiding for so long. "You couldn't have worst timing Fury." Tony sighed, rubbing his eyes. "If you haven't heard already, Rogers and I aren't exactly on the best of terms right now." "I don't care about your little social problems Stark. You have a job to do, get your ass down here and do it." Fury demanded, and hung up.

 "That Fury?" Pepper muttered, turning over to look at her lover. "Yeah, needs me to come in." Tony sighed, and began to get dressed. "Romanoff is apparently going off duty for a bit, can't imagine why." "Maybe I'll stop by and see her." Pepper yawned. Tony kissed her forehead, smiling. "Have fun with that." He finished dressing, and headed out, not bothering to eat breakfast. He lost his appetite at the thought of seeing Steve. He tried to push the thought out of his mind, but it refused to be ignored. Steve was never going to truly be out of his life, there was always going to be a sense of danger of their secret slipping out.

~*~

 Steve drummed his fingers on the table, wishing everyone would get here so he could go home. He didn't mind the fact that they had a job to do; it was the thought of seeing  _him_  that made the soldier want to jump out the nearest window.

 Steve looked around to see if anyone was there yet. He noticed Bruce quietly talking with Clint, and Fury sitting at the head of the table. Natasha wasn't around, and Thor was still on Asgard.

 So really, they were just waiting on Stark. They hadn't talked since yesterday, but already it seemed like years since they had been apart. Steve slept in an empty bed alone, darkness looming that Tony used to keep away. He pushed the thought out of his mind, rubbing his eyes. He was exhausted; maybe a quick nap would do him some good. Besides, knowing Tony, he'll be fashionably late.

 Steve crossed his arms on the table, and put his head down on them. He closed his eyes, but the image of Tony's face caused them to flash open. He groaned slightly, wanting nothing more than some freaking sleep. "Everything alright Steve?" Bruce asked, taking a seat next to him. The soldier looked up at him, mouthing, "No." Bruce was about to ask what was wrong when Tony walked in. Steve immediately sat up, averting his eyes from the approaching man.

 He watched from the corner of his eye as Tony sat farther down at the table, next to Clint. They muttered something quickly to each other, before Fury cleared his throat and everyone turned their attention to him. "Thank you all for coming in today, I know I've been keeping you waiting, but we finally have the information we need." Fury leaned on the table, looking over the men.

 "We've found that one of our agents had been leaking some of our plans to a terrorist organization. We need you to go in there and stop them, destroy the plans, and all traces of it." The Avengers picked up on his emphasis of the sentence. He wanted them to kill anyone that seemed like a threat. "Why are we going after them? Doesn't this seem like something for the army?" Tony questioned, a little more than confused. "What does it matter? We have a job to do, and we need to do it." Steve growled, glaring at the brunette. He glared back, before pushing his chair out. "Let's go then. The sooner we get these guys the better."

 The others followed, going their separate ways to get themselves prepared. "Captain," Fury's voice stopped Steve in the hall as he was on his way to get his suit. "Director," Steve replied as he turned to face the man. "Keep your personal affairs out of this mission; I need all of you back alive." His voice was serious, and Steve understood. He knew that Fury was referring to the ongoing fight between the men; he was still oblivious to what had recently happened. "Understood." The soldier said, and said goodbye to Fury as he went to get his suit on.

~*~

 "Everyone in their positions?" Steve asked over the headset. "Ready." Banner answered, making his way into the lab. "Ready." Clint adjusted himself on his perch, making sure he would have a direct hit on his target. "Give me the word and I'm on it." Tony said, keeping his suit at a low enough power to keep it from being picked up by any trackers that the terrorists had set up. "Alright, let's go!" Steve shouted, and quickly led the attack on the terrorists. Bruce set up an explosive chemical that would completely destroy the lab and everyone in it within five minutes, but until then, the man smiled as his eyes flashed to green, and the Hulk took over, wreaking havoc on the lab. Clint took out the leader of the organization, along with a few of his men. "Target eliminated Captain!" he said, firing at the shooters from below.

 "Great job, let's take out the rest of these bastards and we can go home!" Steve ordered, and everyone quickly agreed. Steve deflected the onslaught of bullets, and Tony appeared beside him. "Come to join the party Stark?" The blond wondered as he aimed the shield at a larger enemy. "What can I say? I love a good party." Tony retorted as he fired at a few oncoming men. They fought side by side, putting aside their feelings and their feud, for the sake of saving the lives of millions.

 Hulk finally appeared from the lab, signaling that it was time to go. "Barton clear out!" Steve ordered, looking for the nearest exit. "Don't have to tell me twice. Meet you on the other side guys!" He dove over the wall, getting as much space between him and the building as possible. "Hulk, you too, let's go Tony!" The solider directed them to an exit, but just as they were about to be home free, a snare found Steve's leg, pulling him back into the compound. Tony noticed the Captain's disappearance, and saw him being dragged back.

 "Steve!" He cried out, and flew back for the man. "Get out of here Stark!" Steve yelled as he desperately tried to free his leg.  _We're running out of time_. He knew the chemical would explode at any moment, and if Bruce had done it right, the whole compound would be destroyed. Tony reached the man, and untangled the soldier's leg from the snare. A muffled explosion could be heard, and Tony wasted no time. He quickly grabbed the Captain, and flew them quickly towards the doors. The building went up just seconds after they made it out.

 The blast flew them forward, and they were caught by the Hulk. "Thanks buddy." Tony said as they were dropped. "Are you insane? You directly violated my orders!" Steve yelled, standing and brushing himself off. "Excuse me? If I had listened to you, you'd be dead right now!" Tony remarked, glaring at the blond. "I would have been fine, and you wouldn't have put yourself in danger! We don't need two dead heroes!" The soldier retorted. "Why can't you just be grateful? You know this is the second time I've saved your ass!" The brunette snarled, taking a step towards him. "And I recall you being more than grateful the first time."

 Steve opened his mouth to start screaming at him, but stopped. "You disobey my orders again," he growled, face only inches from Tony's, "And I won't be saving you at all." He marched off as the rescue vehicles began to arrive, there to pick up the men. The Hulk finally returned to Bruce, who stood naked as he and Clint watched Tony take off, obviously not in the mood to be in the same place as Steve.  _What did he mean, 'I won't be saving you at all?'_ Bruce wondered, but shook his head. "Come on Barton, I need to get back to my lab. That was probably the most painful thing I had to do." He sighed as they began to head to the vehicles. "You're a good man Bruce." Clint said, patting the man on the back and laughing.

~*~

 "Hello Stevie. I was so worried that you weren't going to be back home in time for dinner." Christine greeted Steve as walked into S.H.I.E.L.D's headquarters. He looked over, surprised. "How the hell did you get in here?" he asked as she threw her arms around his neck. "I have my ways darling." she muttered, kissing him lightly. Steve kissed back, pretending to have missed her. Tony walked in, helmet in hand, and saw the little display. He snorted. "Someone better alert the guards that one of the mutts got out." he muttered beneath his breath.

 "Watch it Stark, I don't talk that way about your girlfriend." Steve growled, and both Christine and Tony looked at him in surprise. "So she's your girlfriend is she?" The brunette smirked. "How does it feel knowing you got my sloppy seconds?" "I swear to God-" Steve began advancing towards him, but Fury's voice snapped him out of it. "Enough! Both of you get back to your rooms, and get out." he ordered, switching his vision between the two.

 "Yes sir." Both said, still glaring at one another. "Come on Christine." Steve growled, not taking his eyes off Tony's. The brunette watched them leave, and glared after them. "Get moving Stark." Fury ordered, and Tony nodded. "On it." he growled, and went back to take off his suit. It was only until he was sure no one would see him did he let himself cry.  _Why did it have to end like this? I miss him so much, but I can't let those photos get out. It'll kill me, and Pepper will never forgive me... I'm such an idiot_.

~*~

 "Thanks for defending me back there Stevie." Christine said loud enough for Steve to hear through his door. "No problem. I have no tolerance for a man who disrespects a woman like that." It was partially true, Steve may not like Christine, but he was still a gentleman. And he had to make it seem believable.

 "I should repay you." Christine muttered, opening the door. She smirked as Steve stood before her, half dressed. "Really Christine, that's not-" his sentence was cut short by her lips. She kissed him softly at first, trying get him to respond. He tried his best to resist, but soon enough he found himself kissing back, wrapping his arms around her waist. She smiled against the kiss, running her hands up Steve's chest, and putting a hand on his neck.

 "Hey Steve? Can-"

 Steve broke the kiss to see Tony in front of him. Something was hidden behind his back, but the soldier couldn't tell what. "What is it Stark?" he asked, a cold chill to his words. The brunette's look of hurt quickly changed to one of annoyance. "I came to apologize, but now, you can just forget it." he spat angrily, storming off. Steve let out a breath, and removed Christine's hands from around his neck. "Listen, why don't you just, go back to your place? I'll meet you there, and we can have dinner." he said, and Christine nodded. "Sure, I'll meet you at my place." She was obviously annoyed that her and Steve's little moment had been broken up, but she left all the same. Steve pressed back the urge to go and chase after Tony.

  _Who the hell does he think he is? Talking to me like that?_  Tony thought angrily as he stalked down the hallway, flowers still in hand.  _I should have let him have it_. He looked down at the dozen red roses in his hand, he was going to tell Steve everything, let him know how much he loved him, how he couldn't live without him. He needed Steve, more than he needed anyone else. He wanted to tell everyone that he, Anthony Edward Stark, was desperately in love with Steven Grant Rogers, and he wasn't going to give up. He collapsed against the wall, throwing the roses against the opposite wall, his face wet with tears. It hit him, that Steve didn't need Tony; he was fine with Christine, happy. And isn't that what he always wanted for him? He wanted Steve to be happy, to have a good life. He couldn't get in the way of that. He would just have to let go, no matter how much it hurt.


	15. Chapter 15

 Steve sighed as he lay back on the bed. "I don't know Pepper, I don't think it's a good idea, me and Tony haven't talked in at least two months, and I don't think Christine would really appreciate me seeing him, not after what he said to her." he justified, and Pepper scoffed over the phone. "That's why I planned this whole thing. You two need to start talking again, Tony hasn't been the same since you two had your fight." she said, and Steve ran a hand over his face. "Listen-"

 "No you listen. I went to a whole lot of trouble planning this damn thing out, and you two are going to sit down and talk this thing out like two civilized adults. Is that clear Captain?" Pepper said, voice demanding. Steve couldn't help but laugh. "I'll take that as a yes. Get dressed soldier, you have to be there in an hour." She hung up before the soldier could protest. He sat up, looking at the clock; it was only 12:30, way too early for him to be dealing with this. Nonetheless, he got up and got into the shower. Part of him, a part that he had been hiding for a very long time, was happy to be seeing Tony again. Maybe, this would be a chance to get them back together.

  _No, he's with Pepper, and you're with Christine. Or at least you're pretending to be._  He sighed, and changed into some nice dress pants, and one of his famous shirts.  _"I'll never get how you wear those, you look ridiculous you know."_  Steve chuckled a bit, remembering Tony's past comments on his shirts. The blond shook his head slowly, those days were over now, he wasn't going to get those back, even after Christine was done with him and finally got rid of the pictures forever. He and Tony saw what they would be like together, and sometimes, enough times, it wasn't pretty.

 Christine texted him, asking him if he wanted to get together and have lunch. He didn't answer, and left his phone at his apartment. He wasn't going to be answering to her today.

~*~

 Tony tried to stop his leg from shaking, he was nervous. Pepper had completely sprung this on him, not telling him until she had him sit down that she wouldn't be joining him, but instead Steve would.  _Every time I try to get away, he finds a way right back in_. He checked his watch, biting his lip. It'd been a little more than an hour, maybe Steve wasn't coming, that would be easier. He could handle it, it would help to keep the feelings he still held buried. He looked down at his glass, pushing it away. He had been trying to give up on alcohol. It hasn't tasted as good lately.

 He heard the chair in front of him scrape against the floor, and he looked up to see Steve sitting down across from him. "Hello Captain." Tony muttered quietly. "Mr. Stark." Steve responded politely. "How are you today?" Tony rolled his eyes. "We're not really going to do this are we?" he asked, looking up at the blond and leaned on the table. "We both know we don't want to be here, so let's-" "Who said I didn't want to be here?" Steve asked, a small smile twitching at his lips. Tony lips upturned in a smile, which he quickly hid behind his hand.

 "I've um, I've missed talking with you Tony. I mean, yeah we talk back at S.H.I.E.L.D, but I mean," Steve dropped his gaze to the table. "I miss our real talks." "So have I Cap- Steve." The brunette corrected himself. "Even if we, you know, that doesn't mean we can't still be friends, right?" "Yeah, it's not like we still," the blond said, dancing around the word. "I'm sick of trying to pretend like I don't want us to be close again. I mean, friend close." he muttered, and Tony nodded in agreement.

 "We should get over this; I'm fine with being friends if you are." Tony said, smiling. "I am, so," Steve held out his hand, smiling. "Friends?" The brunette chuckled, and shook his hand. "Friends." They waited a moment longer, still holding each other’s hand. Steve loosened his grip, slightly. He was reluctant to let go, but he knew if he didn't he would be all over Tony within another heartbeat.

 Tony released the blond's hand, blushing slightly. A familiar beat played over the speakers of the restaurant, and the brunette looked over to see couples flocking to the dance floor, laughing and beginning to dance. Hinder's cover of "Take Me Home Tonight" blasted, and Tony shook his head, chuckling. "You want to dance?" Steve asked, a playful tone in his voice. "Sure." Tony said, and stood, taking the soldier to the dance floor and beginning to move his hips to the music.

 Steve blushed bright red, watching as Tony moved in front of him, and he found himself being pulled into the music. He moved with Tony, following his steps. "This isn't awkward or anything." Steve laughed, and Tony laughed with him. "Only awkward if you make it that way." he said, and playfully pushed himself against the blond. Steve turned a deeper red as Tony began to dance, pulling him close and lip syncing the lyrics. The blond rolled his eyes and began to do the same.

"I can feel you breathe; I can feel your heart beat faster! Take me home tonight; I don't want to let you go till you see the light! Take me home tonight! Listen honey, just like Ronnie said, be my little baby!" The crowd sang in unison, including the two men. "You've gotten better since we last danced." Tony noticed, eyeing the soldier up and down. The blond shrugged. "Practice makes perfect I guess." "I wouldn't call it perfect," Tony teased, and Steve scowled. He reached his hand out to give the man a light shove, but he dodged it and instead, took the hand in his own and intertwined their fingers before turning into Steve, pressing his back against his chest.

 Steve laughed, continuing to dance. He wrapped his arms around Tony's waist, forgetting everything and everyone around them. He was with the man he loved, and no one was going to ruin his good time. Tony listened to his sweet laugh, that laugh he never thought he would hear again.  _It's been way too long. I miss you Steve, I've tried to get over you, but I just can't._

 "I like this song, it's fun." Steve said into Tony's ear. "Yeah, it is." He smiled, closing his eyes and still dancing with the man. The song ended, and some couples began to leave the dance floor as a slower song came on. "Uh, would you, you want to," Steve stammered as he let go of Tony, allowing him to turn around. "Get some food? Sure." Tony finished the man's sentence, a bit saddened to leave Steve's arms, but he knew he had to.

  _I have to let him go._

"Well, actually I wanted to know if you would allow me to have this dance." Steve muttered, blushing. Tony was caught off guard. "W-What?"  _Does this mean what I think it does? He still loves me, he really does....God Steve, you don't understand,_   _we can't be together._  "I-uh-I-" he stuttered, not sure what to say. "What am I saying? God, sorry Tony, we can just go eat, ignore me." Steve said, waving his hand and ears turning red. "Besides, I'm starving, I didn't eat breakfast so," He smiled softly, and began walking towards the table.

  _Stop acting like you're still together. You're going to put him in danger; you shouldn't have even come today._  Steve yelled at himself as they sat down, and browsed over their menus.  _Why did I come today? I could have stood him up, left him here and let him hate me even more._  He looked up, staring at Tony, dropping his gaze whenever he looked up at the blond.  _But he could have done the same. He could have left me here, could have left as soon as he saw me, I mean, he made it very clear the last time we spoke..._ "Hey Tony? Mind if I ask you something?" Steve asked quietly, setting down his menu and looking at the man opposite him.

 "Sure, fire away." Tony said, trying to ignore the twisted knot in his stomach. "Why did you come today?" The blond asked, locking eyes with Tony. "Because Pepper told me if I didn't go out to lunch with you I wouldn't be eating at all today." The brunette lied. "What about you? Why are you here?"

 Steve was caught off guard.  _Lie Steve, lie to him. You- 'Don't lie to your soldiers Captain, you should know better.'_  He sighed, and looked up at him, "I'm not going to lie to you Tony, Pepper told me to come, said she went to a lot of trouble, but that's not really why I'm here." Steve ran a hand through his hair. "I missed you Tony, and I hate not talking to you." he said, smiling at Tony. The other man smiled back. "Well, now we're friends again. So, here's to us." He raised his glass, and Steve raised his glass of water. "Cheers." They muttered, and took a drink.

"I'm sorry for insulting you the other day." Tony said quietly. "I'm sorry for snapping at you, I should be grateful, you saved my ass back there." Steve apologized awkwardly. "Well, it's in the past now," Tony said, a fake smile on his face.  _Just like us._  "We can move past it." Steve smiled back, trying to disguise his heart break.  _But I can't move past you._


	16. Chapter 16

"You seem like you're in a better mood lately, what happened?" Bruce asked, and Tony looked up from the latest project of his. "Nothing, just," He smiled, and looked back down at his project. "Me and Cap are friends again, I'm glad to be talking to him again." He muttered, and he could hear Bruce chuckle. "Is that all? When are you finally going to break it off with Pepper and just finally be with the man already? He's seriously the only thing that can make you smile like that anymore." The other man pointed out, and Tony shook his head sadly. "I don't think that's going to happen." Not with Christine still in the picture, or rather, with the pictures... "Look, if you think he's still upset at you, I think you're wrong. You two need to-" Bruce started, but Tony put up his hand to stop him.

"We've already discussed it, we're not going to get back together, we both agreed." He sighed, not looking up at his friend. "It's too difficult to try and hide it from everyone."

"So stop hiding it!"

Tony looked up, a little more than shocked. Bruce was rubbing his temples, trying to keep calm. "You always try to keep secrets, and look where that's gotten you." He said, and walked over to his friend. "You need to stop hiding, and just let everyone know what you feel for Steve, the fact that you love him." He reasoned, placing his hands on his friend's shoulders. "I can't do that Bruce! You don't get it!" Tony exclaimed.

"Yeah, I love him, I love him way more than I have ever loved anyone, and I probably always will, but he doesn't love me. And I can't completely destroy what we finally built just because I'm in love, I'm... I can't be that selfish. It's better for everyone if I just keep my mouth shut, pretend like it doesn't hurt every time he puts his arms around her waist, it doesn't hurt every time she kisses him, and he kisses her back." He blinked back his tears. He wasn't going to cry, not in front of someone.

He felt himself move forward, and Bruce wrapped him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry; I didn't realize how difficult this was for you." He muttered as Tony hugged him back. "No, you don't need to apologize, you're right... But I just can't do that. Not yet." He pushed his friend away, giving him a sad look. "I think it's time you knew, the truth." Tony pulled Bruce over to the chairs, and they sat down. The man explained everything that happened after the fight with Steve, he explained the deal with Christine, how if he tried anything, the pictures would leak, and it would completely destroy Pepper, and Tony's reputation.

"God, so either you tell the world yourself, and lose Steve and Pepper... Or you hide from the world, dealing with the pain of seeing Steve with a woman, and suffer in silence until Christine decides she's done with you?" Bruce sighed, and looked up at his friend. "I'm so sorry Tony...." Tony laughed sadly. "I don't know what to do Bruce, I mean; she told me she'd call me when she knew what she wanted from me... But it's been a few months since then... What if she just wanted Steve? What if that's how she plans to get back at me?" "I think it'd be the easiest thing she could do." Bruce said quietly.

~*~

Steve threw a few more punches at the bag, before giving it one final blow, still expecting it to fly off the machine. It stayed intact, and the blond smiled. Tony really put a lot of work into this thing. He sighed, grabbing his towel and wiping off the sweat that dripped over his face. His phone buzzed, and he smiled, hoping it was Tony calling to ask him to grab a bite or something else that would give them an excuse to see each other.

The soldier frowned as he realized it was Christine texting him. Hey babe, want to get together later? Maybe catch a movie? -CE. He rolled his eyes, but texted her back anyways. Sure, sounds good. I'll pick you up at seven. -SR. He sighed, and headed into the showers, stripping and leaving his phone with his clothes. "Hello Captain." A voice said, and Steve turned around, thankful for the small half wall that covered everything below his waist.

A girlish giggle escaped Christine's lips, and she looked him over. "I've never seen you so exposed... It's hot." She purred, and took a step towards Steve, who took a step back. "Don't try to run from me captain, I like the chase." She giggled, and began to remove her clothing. "What are you-" Steve stopped mid-sentence as she stepped in, wearing nothing. She batted her eyelashes at him, water running over her slim body, and Steve took in a breath as she kissed him, pressing her body against his. "Don't pretend you don't want me Steve," she whispered, and Steve was frozen in place. He wasn't sure what to do, he could push her away, but he feared the consequences.

"No, stop." He said, feeling her lips move from his and down his neck. "Why? Don't you like me Steve?" she teased, running a hand up his front. He sucked in a breath as she bit gently on his neck, causing him to moan a bit. Another giggle, and she kissed his neck. "Come on Captain, why don't you show me what you can do?" "I said stop!" He said a little louder, and he felt her remove her hands from his body. She moved back, a mix of hurt and anger apparent on her face. "Fine, I get it. You don't want to do it here. I'll see you at seven." Christine said, stepping out and dressing.

Steve watched her as she left, a feeling of relief flooding through him. He looked down, groaning. Damn broad. He thought sourly, and went about handling his new problem.

He finally got out, and changed into some clean clothes. He tried not to think about the earlier events as he went back to Stark towers, starved. "Hey Steve, have a good work out?" Bruce asked, putting up a fake smile, he knew Tony hadn't told Steve, and knew that it probably wasn't the wisest choice to tell him now. "Fine." he muttered, and grabbed a plate of food before sitting down. "Everything okay?" The scientist asked, and the blond nodded softly. "Just hungry is all." He smiled softly. "Mhm, then eat. It's no wonder you keep snacks in your suit." Bruce laughed, and Steve laughed with him. "Well no one likes a snarky leader."

"We keep Tony around though!" The darker haired man pointed out, causing Steve to almost choke on his food. "I said snarky not Starky." "What's the difference?" Bruce asked, and both men let out a loud laugh. "I can hear you two you know!" Tony growled as he joined them in the kitchen. "Oh come on, you know we love you!" The darker haired man laughed, and Steve froze up. Tony laughed as well, and the blond sighed as he went back to eating. Well, good to know he's really over me.

"Steve? You hear me?" Tony's voice broke through Steve's thoughts. "Sorry, what?" he asked, swallowing a bite of his steak, and looking up at the brunette. "I said do you want to go out for a few later?" The man repeated, and Steve looked at him confused. "A few what?" Tony rolled his eyes and chuckled. "A few drinks dumb-ass. God, you really are blond aren't you?" he teased, causing the blond to scowl. "A few can mean anything Stark." He growled, a heat passing over his cheeks, and he knew he was blushing.

"Keep telling yourself that. So? Do you or don't you?" Tony asked as he sat down across from him. "I can't, I have a date with Christine later." Steve answered quietly, not looking up. "Oh, okay. Another time then." The brunette said, trying to hide the obvious fact of his disappointment. "Maybe tomorrow night?" The solider offered, and the other man looked up, smiling softly. "Sure, sounds good to me. The Silver Celtics?"

"It's a date." Steve said nonchalantly, not really paying attention to his word choice. The three men laughed, but an uncomfortable feeling passed over the table, and Tony and Bruce went to talking about their project while Steve finished eating, and went back to his room to read.

Tony watched as he left, sighing softly. "So he doesn't love you?" Bruce asked, and the brunette looked at his smirking friend. "No, he doesn't. He may have once, but not anymore." He muttered, looking at his food, with a sudden loss in appetite. "The guy froze up when I said the word 'love'," The scientist argued, and Tony looked up at him, glaring. "Probably because he knows I'm still head over heels in love with him, and he doesn't want to be reminded of it. It's not hard to fall out of love with someone Bruce; I've done it plenty of times before." he growled, standing, and beginning to move towards the door.

"Then what makes Steve so different?"

Tony froze, closing his eyes to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. "I wish I knew." He whispered, and ran a hand over his face; he felt so tired... "I'm going to go take a nap." The brunette muttered, heading out, and almost running into someone. He looked up, glaring, ready to yell at the person, when his eyes met a pair of blue ones. "Steve!" Tony choked out. Oh god what did he hear?

Steve smiled at him. "Hey Tony, sorry about that, I wasn't watching where I was going, damn shirt's got me all confused." He chuckled low, and Tony looked at his chest to see undone buttons, a few in the wrong holes. The man rolled his eyes, and swatted Steve's hands away. "Here, let me help you out a bit." He muttered, and began to undo the blond's button down, exposing his broad chest, the one that Tony had missed laying his head against, listening to Steve's heartbeat.

He paused a moment, and a silence passed between the two. "Tony?" The blond practically whispered, and the smaller man looked up, a blush flooding his face. He noticed the red tint to Steve's cheeks, and the way his lips were slightly parted, like he was going to say something, or better yet, do something....

"I-I can handle this." The blond muttered, averting his eyes, and replacing Tony's hands on the buttons. "S-sure, sorry." The other man said quickly, and pulled his hands away, before moving around Steve. "Have fun on your date." He muttered, trying to hide the pain in his voice. "Thanks..." The soldier called after him, trying to swallow what he had heard. He still loves me... Damn it Stark! Why do you always have to make things harder than they already are? He groaned softly as he finished up his buttons, and headed off to pick up Christine for their date.

~*~

"Hey babe, so I was thinking we-"

"Shut up and buckle up." Steve ordered, cutting Christine off. She scoffed, but still did as she was told. "Where the hell do you-" She began again, but the soldier glared at her, nostrils flaring, and eyes dead set. "How long do you plan on keeping me your little prisoner Christine?" he growled, and began to drive. "I'm not sure, why? You thinking of just giving up and letting me expose you and Tony?" She threatened, smiling deviously. Steve laughed, which caused the woman's smile to fade. "What are you laughing at?"

"You. You really think that anyone is going to care that Tony and I are gay for each other? I mean, besides Pepper being pretty upset, I can't see it as being much of a problem." He said, smiling. "Who's to say we didn't tell everyone already?" Christine's jaw dropped slightly, she was obviously caught off guard, which caused Steve to laugh again. "I don't think you have! I mean, it would have been all over the news, and Stark's name would be ruined! Tony Stark, leader of Stark Industries, having an affair with Captain America! That's a pretty big scandal if you ask me!" She said angrily, becoming even more annoyed.

"Listen Christine, all I'm saying is: I'm not afraid of you anymore. I'll play along with this little game, pretend like it's still a big deal; but really, you're not going to get anything out of this. I won't sleep with you." Steve said calmly, and a flash of pure anger flashed over Christine's face. "Stop the car. I'm getting out." She ordered. The soldier shook his head slowly. "I don't think so. We have a date that you planned, and I think we should keep to it. And besides, what kind of man would I be if I dropped a dame like you off in the middle of the highway with no way to get home?"

"You're playing a dangerous game here Captain." The woman snarled, crossing her arms and looking out the window. "I'm not playing anymore. I've already won." The soldier said, and parked the car in the parking lot of the theater. He got out to get the door for Christine. "We'll just see about that." Christine muttered to herself, and allowed Steve to get the door for her, putting on a fake smile as they linked arms and headed into the theater.


	17. Chapter 17

 Tony took in a quick breath as he opened the door, eyes falling on the tall, blond, handsome, super soldier, Steve Rogers. He smiled at him, and stepped out of his room. "So, you ready to go?" the smaller man asked, and the blond nodded. "I've been ready, but I didn't want to come too early. I know you like to be 'fashionably late'." He teased. Tony smirked, and gave the soldier a small shove. "You know me too well." He laughed. Steve laughed with him, and they took the elevator down to the lobby, taking a cab to The Silver Celtics.

 Both men were silent for most of the ride, but it wasn't an uncomfortable one. They didn't mind, it was something they had gotten used to. They finally arrived at the bar, and already the place was packed with other people. "Only nine, and people are already getting drunk." Steve chuckled. "My kind of people." Tony laughed, and they headed inside. It was an older crowd, Tony recognized a few people, giving them a small wave. Steve spotted Ashley, but they simply avoided looking at each other for the duration of the evening.

 "We're not going to have a repeat of last time are we?" Steve asked as they sat down. "Oh come on, you know you enjoyed carrying me." Tony laughed. "Oh yeah, because carrying a blind drunk man up twelve flights of stairs is just my idea of fun." The soldier said, rolling his eyes and laughing. "Hey, you're the one who decided to take the stairs, and let me just say, it wasn't much fun for me either. You may be ripped, but that doesn't mean you're soft." The brunette muttered, remembering the pain in his hips that he felt the next day.

 "And just because you're small doesn't mean you're light!" Steve retorted, "I'm a freaking super soldier and I got tired!" "Really? Is that why you passed out in my bed? Or were you just hoping to get lucky?" The brunette asked, cocking an eyebrow and smirking. The blond laughed, almost falling out of his chair, had it not been for Tony quickly grabbing his hand, and preventing him from falling back. "Hey, you have to have a few drinks before you can start falling out of chairs."

 He pulled the man back up, laughing. "Thanks," Steve said, smiling. They let go of one another's hand, and Tony got up to order them some drinks from the bar. The soldier sighed, leaning back a bit. He licked his lips, suddenly nervous.  _Tonight. You're going to tell him tonight_. He decided, and watched as Tony got them a few drinks. He came back with two shots, and Steve shook his head. "Oh come on, you gotta do em." The brunette laughed, and handed one to the other man. "Fine, but just one." He said, and they toasted, before downing the burning liquid.

~*~

 "That your boyfriend over there?" Dianne, the owner of the bar asked. She was an Irish woman, and she nodded towards Steve as she poured the fifth round of drinks for Tony. The brunette opened his mouth to correct her, but then quickly shut it. "I saw you two over there, he's a good one." She said, smiling. "He makes you smile, I've only seen you a few times, but I can tell that when you laugh, it's real." Tony looked down at the counter and smiled. "Have fun tonight you two." She gave the man a wink as she handed him his drinks. "Thanks, we will." A fight broke out in the corner of the bar, and all eyes turned to see who it was between.

 "I said get up, and fight me! You think you're so tough, let's see what you got!" a man taunted, giving Steve a small shove to the shoulder. The soldier stood, eyes burning. "Listen, I'm not going to fight you. I'm here with a friend of mine, and we just want to have a good time alright?" He growled, and the man smirked, obviously drunk. "Ooooooh, he just wants to have a good time!" The man said, loud enough for the whole bar to hear. "Well, what do you say we give these people a show? Make it a good time for everyone?" Steve took in a breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look buddy, I don't want any trouble alright? Now why don't you just go sit back down, and we can just enjoy ourselves?" He offered, but the stupid drunk didn't know when to quit.

 "What's the matter? You scared?" The man asked, getting closer to Steve's face, the smell of alcohol overpowering. "Hey! Leave him alone would you?" Tony intervened, glaring at the drunk. "Ooh, look at this, now we got the little guy, Tony Stark isn't it?" The man asked, and turned his attention away from Steve to the small brunette. "You here with this guy? I never took you for a fag Stark, I thought higher of you." He laughed, and pushed Tony. He was taken off guard, and stumbled back a bit. "What did you call me?" he asked, hands balling into fists. The drunk laughed, before grabbing Tony by the collar, and looking him in the eye. "A disgusting, cock sucking, dick loving, faggot!" The man snarled, and threw Tony back, causing him to fall back onto the counter and hit his head.

 Immediately, Steve stood, and turned the man around, giving him a swift punch to the jaw, and sending him into one of the tables. The man's friend tried to jump the soldier, but Dianne quickly stepped in and clocked him. "Both of you out now!" she yelled, pulling the drunken man off the floor and giving him and his friend a shove towards the door. Steve ran to Tony's side, looking him over, patting the side of his face as he tried to wake his friend. "Tony! You alright?" He asked, trying to get the brunette to open his eyes. "I'm fine damn it." Tony growled, rubbing the back of his head.

 Steve let out a sigh of relief. "You had me scared for a minute." He chuckled, helping Tony up. "I asked for us not to have a repeat of last time, and look what you do." The brunette scowled as he wobbled on his feet. "This is different from last time!" he defended. "I'm not as drunk, and that asshole pushed me down." "But you still hit your head, now why don't I get you home? It's getting late anyways." The blond offered, and began to help Tony out the door. "Thank you, by the way." Steve said as he passed Dianne on the way out. She gave a small wave of her hand. "No problem. Stay safe." She called after them as they left, and caught a cab.

~*~

 "Can we take the elevators this time?" Tony pleaded, slowly sobering up. "Sure thing, but do you think you can handle the motion?" Steve asked as they got in. "Unless you want to carry me up the stairs again," the smaller man teased. He was surprised to feel his feet leave the ground, and for a moment, he was sure he was falling. He realized that Steve was carrying him, bridal style. "Going to carry me over the threshold Cap?" Tony laughed.

 The soldier didn't answer. He simply headed for the stairs, heading up them with ease. Tony rested his head against Steve's chest, eyes closing slowly. He napped for a bit, and before he knew what was happening, he felt himself being placed down on his bed, and a pair of warm, familiar lips on his own.

 "I love you Tony."

 Tony's eyes flew open, and he sat up to see Steve sneaking out the door. He was in complete shock... Steve had just told Tony, that he loved him. "Where you think you're going soldier?" The brunette asked, a playful tone to his voice. "Get back here and give me twenty." Steve smirked, and climbed on the bed, crawling to where Tony was laying, and kissing him again. "Sure thing, Mr. Stark."

 Steve pushed Tony down onto the bed, sliding his hands beneath his shirt, reacquainting himself with the brunette’s fit body. He kissed him slowly as he lifted the shirt above the smaller man's head, breaking the kiss only to fully remove the clothing. He quickly reunited their lips, moaning a bit as Tony undid the blond's pants, sliding his hands past his boxers, running his hands over his perfect ass, pulling his hips down into his own. The two ground their hips together as Steve took off his shirt, allowing the other man to marvel at the body he had been dreaming of every night since they had broken up.

 The blond smiled against the kiss as he began to undo Tony's pants, sliding them down his legs, skin brushing against skin and a fire igniting with the simple touch. The brunette quickly did the same, kicking off his own pants as soon as they were far enough. Steve removed his pants the rest of the way, and Tony took the moment to lift himself up and pounce the blond, kissing him all over, running his tongue over the man's skin, tasting him, listening to him groan and moan as he traced his tongue along the man's contours, breathing quickening as he moved farther up him, biting on the pant leg of his boxers, dragging them down to reveal Steve's stiff cock, causing Tony's own boxers to begin to tent further.

 He moved up to the man's neck, kissing his way up to Steve's lips, tangling his fingers in his short blond hair, tugging lightly. The other man felt his chest rising and falling more quickly, and he pulled down the brunette's boxers, sitting up a bit to pull them down all the way, and Tony allowed himself to be put back down on the bed, smiling up at the blond, a gentle but hungry look to his eyes, he had been waiting for this night to come once more. Steve smiled back, before reaching into the nightstand, grabbing the lube, and looking at the brunette, who gave a small nod. "I need you, now." he begged, and the blond nodded, placing some lube in his hands, warming it, before hovering over Tony, and watching as he spread his legs, allowing the man to insert a lubed finger.

 The brunette moaned as Steve began to pump his finger, adding another a moment after. "Oh God Steve," he whispered, short of breath, and sweat begging to run down his forehead. He needed to feel him, needed to have him inside of him. Steve gave his fingers a quick crook of his fingers before removing them, and replacing them with his cock, grunting as he entered the brunette. They shared a breath of complete ecstasy, and the soldier began to pump his hips, trying to get as deep into the other man as possible. Tony bent back his legs, begging for Steve to go harder, and he grabbed onto his hips as he did, moaning out Tony's name, breathing heavy. "I've missed you so much," the soldier whispered, moving his hand to the brunette's front, and taking him into his hand, pumping his length, moving with the motion of his hips, tightening and loosening his hand, listening to Tony moaning beneath him.

 Tony's head was spinning, and he released into the blond's hand as he moaned out Steve's name, eyes fluttering as he rode his orgasm, and the soldier came a moment after, pulling out of the brunette, and pressing their sweaty foreheads together, kissing each other breathlessly, mutterings of "I love you"s repeated over and over, seeming as they could never say them enough.

 Steve smiled as he rolled off Tony, pulling him close, kissing him again as he pulled the sheets up around them, the brunette resting his head against the blond's chest, the arc reactor lighting the room with a dim light, and the soldier smiled to himself, before his eyes closed and he fell asleep.

~*~

 Steve sighed as he woke up, hating the sun as it spilled through the curtains of Tony's bedroom, shedding light on the scene of the crime, crumpled bed sheets, Tony's arms wrapped around the soldier’s neck, legs entwined with the bed, his breathing soft and in tune with his chest rising and falling. Steve smiled, kissing the smaller man's forehead, causing him to scowl and turn over, turning his back to the invading sunlight. The blond chuckled lightly, and got up. He threw on his boxers and his jeans, not bothering with his shirt. He glanced at himself in the mirror, hair all over the place, and a stupid grin on his face.

 He shook his head as he went into the kitchen to make breakfast, getting eggs and bacon out of the fridge. He whistled happily to himself, and heard an annoyed grumble come from the bedroom as Tony stirred, and got out of bed. He strutted out after a few minutes, wearing a robe and some sweats. "You think it's funny to have me wake up alone? I'm sick of doing that you know." he growled, pressing his forehead against Steve's bare bicep, kissing it. Steve chuckled, and turned away from the food to wrap his arms around the man. "Well, I figured you'd be hungry after last night." The blond teased, kissing Tony.

 Tony smiled. "You'd be right." he chuckled, kissing back. "I love you." He whispered, and nestled his head in the crook of Steve's neck. "I love you too." the soldier whispered back. They held each other for a moment, listening to the quiet sizzling of the bacon on the skillet, before the sound of a door slamming shut alerted them of someone's presence. Both men looked up, still wrapped in their embrace, to Pepper, who stood in the middle of the room, the look of betrayal obvious. Her lip quivered; she looked like she was going to cry. "Pepper-" Tony started, moving from Steve's grip to where she stood.

 Pepper hit him hard across the face, a loud crack shattering the silence of the room. "Get out!" She yelled, eyes glaring at Steve, who didn't say anything as he rushed out of the room, glancing over as Tony rubbed his cheek, a red imprint already beginning to show.  _I'm going to kill Christine._  He thought sourly as he made his way down the hallway, hoping Pepper didn't murder Tony.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And, this is it. The final chapter of the Iron Captain. It was fun while it lasted.

 "How could you do this?" Pepper asked, venom in her broken voice. "I gave you everything you asked for, I was there for you, and you cheat on me?" Tony put his face in his hands, sitting down on the couch. "I know, I made a mistake, I should have told you, I should have broken up with you, but... I don't know why I didn't." he muttered. "Please, you have to tell me why." She didn't care that it was Steve; actually, she was a bit relieved that it had been Steve, better him than someone else. "I don't know Pepper, it's just, ever since New York, Steve and I have gotten close," The strawberry blond snorted. "I can see that." she muttered beneath her breath.

 "No, you don't." Tony stated, trying to keep his voice still. "Steve and I found something in each other, something we hadn't found in anyone else; it's different with him Pepper! I love him, and I know he loves me, I can't see my life without him anymore," He looked at Pepper, sympathy on his face. "I'm sorry, I wish I could have told you, I never wanted to hurt you...I loved you, I really did, but-" "But now you don't, and you want it to end. I understand Tony." She said, taking in a shaky breath.

 "I can't tell you I saw this coming, I really never planned for any of this to happen." Tony sighed, and ran a hand through his dark hair. "I understand if you hate me now, if you never want to speak to me again. I can't blame you. But, just know, I did love you, and I will never forget what we had together." he said, reaching for her hand. But she quickly pulled away. "Just go, I'll pack up my things, and find a place to stay. Thank you for everything Tony." Pepper whispered, smiling at him brokenly.

 "Goodbye, Miss Potts."

 "Goodbye, Mr. Stark."

 Tony stood, and made his way to Steve's room, hoping he would be there.

~*~

 "Christine!" Steve yelled as he burst through the doors of the large office building, and all eyes turned to see who the hell was looking for the female reporter. Christine turned around, standing by the coffee machine, music blaring on the small radio they had nearby. The soldier stalked up to her, and she almost dropped the cup she had in her hand when she saw him raise his fist. But he swung past her, smashing the radio against the wall, and a silence falling over the gathering crowd.

 "Can I speak to you in your office?" Steve asked through clenched teeth. He didn't give her time to answer before he grabbed her by the arm and lightly pulled her into the nearby office, no one even trying to stop him. He slammed the door behind them, and Christine's eyes were wide with fear. "What's this about?" she asked, thinking about where she had the mace placed in her drawer. "How could you tell Pepper? We had a deal!" The soldier practically screamed, losing his composure.

 "Oh, that? You're right Steve, we did have a deal, but I figured if you can't keep up with your end, why should I?" Christine said, shrugging a bit. "What the hell are you talking about?" he growled. "You and I both know you and Tony reconciled last night." she smirked. "Have you been spying on me?" The soldier asked, a bit creeped out. "Me specifically no. But I have my spies sweetheart. And even they aren't aware. You remember Ashley don't you?" The woman cackled. "You hurt her pretty bad there Steve, she needed a shoulder to cry on. And she told me all about how she saw you last night at the bar, with a Mr. Tony Stark."

 "So what makes you think Tony and I hooked up?" Steve growled. "Oh please Steven, I may be blond, but I'm not an idiot. You love Tony, and you know you can't go through your life without him with you. And I know you'd do anything to keep him by your side." Christine said, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back on her desk. "So, what's it going to be Steve? Are you going to sleep with me, and I'll destroy the pictures, or are you going to go back to Tony, and let the whole world know your secret?" The soldier looked down, sighing. "Neither." He muttered, and the reporter was caught off guard.

 "Excuse me?" She scoffed. "What the hell do you mean neither?"

 "I mean neither. You're going to destroy the pictures, and I'm gonna do what I need to do." Steve said, eyes dark. "And how are you going to-" "Either you destroy the pictures," His voice deepened, "Or I tell everyone myself. And completely destroy your little story, and you become a laughing stock for trying to hook up with someone who doesn't even like you, or what you have." 

 Christine blinked as she watched him step out of the office, leaving her alone. She sighed, and reached into the drawer, taking out the photos, and putting them over the garbage can, lighting them. She dropped them in, and watched as the only evidence she had of the story went up in flames. There'd be other stories, and who knows, maybe she'd get a better one out of this.

~*~

 Steve sighed heavily as he walked into his apartment, only to find Tony sitting there, wringing his hands as he obviously waited for the soldier to come back home. He closed the door softly behind him, and the brunette jumped up, and went over to kiss him hello. The blond stepped away, and Tony could sense something was wrong. "We need to talk." He said, voice harsh. "What's wrong Steve?"

 "What are we Tony? Are we friends? Are we together? Or am I just your fuck buddy?" Steve's words stabbed through Tony's heart. He felt his lip quivering; he didn't know what to say.  _Where was all this coming from?_

 "Exactly. We know nothing about each other, let's face it, I just fell in love with a pretty face. I don't want that Tony, I want more than that..."

 "We have more than that Steve!" The brunette defended, blinking back his tears. "We- we've been through all this shit together! I was there when you cried, I held you through your nightmares, you've seen my ugly side, you know what I'm like but you still love-"

 "I don't think I do Tony." Steve said, not meeting Tony's eyes. "Don't lie to me Steve, I can't take any more lies, you were the one who was supposed to never lie to me," Tony whispered, voice faltering.

 "I'm sorry Tony. It's better that I leave for a while. Maybe this is a sign, a sign we need to break up for good. I mean, look at us, did we really think we would last?" Steve shook his head, laughing so he wouldn't cry.

 "You're not breaking up with me again! I won't let you!" The brunette said, voice hard.

 "Stop being so selfish Stark! I need to do what's best for me!"

 "So what you're saying I'm bad for you? Have you forgotten all the shit I did for you?"

 "I'm saying that every time we try to get together something gets in the way! We're not meant to be together!"

 "Yes we are! Stop trying to say we're not! You and I both know, this is the happiest we've been in a long time!" Tony defended, but he knew he was losing; Steve was right, this wasn't working out, after they come out to the public, who knew how things would go? The press would be in their business all the time, it would be impossible to be alone... It would drive them apart just like they we're being driven apart now, and they were hiding it.

 "Oh what now you're telling me how I feel too? God Stark, you just got to control everything in our lives don't you?" Steve snarled, getting pissed. "Do you ever think about what anybody else wants?" "I'm sorry, were you not listening to me? I already told you, I thought of you when I went scrounging through that scrap heap to find you that damn photograph!" Tony yelled, anger swelling inside of him. "I do nothing but think of you! You changed me Steve, for the better!"

 Steve couldn't look at him. "I never wanted us to end. I really didn't." he whispered. "Then don't let us, we can still be together! We can just, keep it a secret for a little longer..." Tony whispered back, holding onto the soldier's hand, choking back tears. "I can't do that Tony, I'm sick of hiding, and we both know we can't handle coming out, not yet. I need to leave, figure things out." The blond whispered. "Promise me," The other man whispered, "Promise me you'll come back, if you want to give this another try."

 Steve smiled, looking down at their hands. "I promise." Tony took in a shaky breath, and let go of the blond's hand, before taking a step back and looking up at him, a broken smile on his face. "Take your room key, I want to make sure you know you're always welcomed back." He said, biting his lip. "Thank you, Mr. Stark." The soldier said, holding out his hand. "Anytime Captain. I hope you find what you're looking for out there." The brunette said, shaking the other man's hand.  _And realize it's right here in front of you_. "I do too." The two men let go, and Tony walked out, going to his now empty apartment.

 Steve sighed, and went to pack his things. He knew his flight would be leaving soon; he had planned a cross country trip, planning on seeing the sights, figuring out what he wanted to do with his life. But, a bit of him already had it planned out. He just needed the rest of him to figure it out.


End file.
